Harry Potter and the Power within
by ungrim
Summary: Harry Potter is about to enter his sixth year at Hogwarts and with Romance, Power and Voldemort all on the horizon, this years proves to be a rollercoaster ride
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1 – Released 

The rain lashed heavily against the windows of number 4 Privet Drive as it had done for most of the holidays now and the occupant of the smallest bedroom was beginning to believe that he was responsible for the foul turn of weather. Normally this idea would be stupid nonsense, however the wiry boy, whose unruly black hair was plastered against the cold glass wasn't normal, in fact he was a wizard, and he was unsure whether wizards had the power to change the weather with their moods. For Harry potter's mood certainly reflected that of the outside world, as he sat with his green eyes dull and lifeless in sorrow.

The reason this teenager was so depressed was that he had recently lost yet another person he knew and again it appeared to be his fault. First his parents had died trying to save Harry from Voldemort attempt to kill him as a baby. Then, in Harry's forth year, Cedric had died because Harry had convinced him to take the Triwizard Cup with him, which was actually a portkey to Voldemort's hideaway. Now though was much worse. He had coped with losing his parents as he had never known them, with Cedric it was much the same in that he was just another student at Hogwarts. However this last person had affected him the most. The last person who had died because of Harry was his own Godfather, Sirius Black, who had been the only father figure he had known. He may have only have met him three years ago having spent the entire year believing that Sirius had been trying to kill him, but after that fateful night he had been offered a new home away from the heartless Dursley family, only to have it snatched away by a bumbling minister of magic Cornelius Fudge. However they had written to each other and Harry had grown fond of his father's best friend only to have him snatched away again just when things were looking up. At the end of June Harry had travelled to the Ministry of Magic after having had a vision, however he had turned up only to find the place crawling with death eaters. After a long battle the Order of the Phoenix turned up and managed to apprehend all but one Death Eater. Bellatrix Lestrange had caught Sirius with a stunning spell causing him to fall through a veiled arch that had supposedly transported him of this planet at least. This death eater had managed to escape after she fled with Voldemort who had turned tail when Dumbledore showed up. Even thinking about Dumbledore made Harry angry as he thought about what he had been ignorant of due to Dumbledore's meddling. However despite this Harry couldn't help be amazed at the show of power that both Dumbledore and Voldemort had shown. Harry wondered how he was supposed to match anything shown that night. But he knew he would have to because it had been prophesied over sixteen years ago.

Harry finished this train of thought as a loud crack of thunder rolled across the sky above the house. He knew where this train of thought led and he had had enough of the nightmares that constantly plagued him every night since the summer had began and the constant re-telling in his mind of the prophesy. Instead Harry fell back on his bed and began re-reading a defence book he had received last Christmas. He had only read half of chapter four when he was aware of a sharp tapping coming from the window. Throwing it open revealed a soaking, bedraggled snowy owl and a small fluffy grey tennis ball with wings. The snowy owl allowed Harry to remove the letter attached to her leg before she shook the water from her wings and flew over to the cage in the corner for a drink. Harry threw a few owl treats to Hedwig before grabbing Pig from where he was zooming around the light fitting. Surprisingly the owl had not one letter as Harry had expected but two. Having removed the letters Harry threw Pig out the window and watched as it was swept back past by a gust of wind. Checking to see that Hedwig was Ok Harry then set about reading his mail. The first being a letter from Hermione.

Dear Harry,

I hope you are doing all right after last year. I know it must be hard having to deal with this on top of everything else but it's really not you fault. Anyway I have looked in a few books and they say that at times of great lose it often helps to confide in someone whether they are a friend, colleague or just someone whose is available. So I hope that you will talk to someone about everything, as it doesn't help to bottle things up. I hope those muggles are treating you better than before, though I still don't know why Professor Dumbledore makes you stay at that dreadful place but he is the Headmaster so I am sure he has a perfectly good reason.

Hermione

Harry grinned at the thought of Hermione raiding the library to help him, after all Hermione's motto was 'If in doubt, to the library'. In turn Ron had come up wit the motto 'If Hermione doesn't know it, It doesn't exist.'

The next letter had a neat feminine script written which Harry didn't recognise so he decided to leave it till last, so he picked up a heavy parchment envelope and peeled it open after noticing Ron's untidy scrawl.

A'right Harry

Hope you doing well. (Well as well as you can be anyway.) Also you need to stop acting as if this is all your fault, Hermione said that you might think that Sirius died because of you but she said to tell you to stop blaming you self for everything. Plus the way I see it's all You-Know-Who's fault anyway.

Mums frantic with worry that you're not being fed properly. She keeps jumping Dumbledore every time he walks through the door insisting that you be moved to the Burrow at once. (At first Dumbledore wanted you moved to you-know-where but Mum insisted that you wouldn't want to go there and finally he gave in.) So Dumbledore said to tell you to be ready to leave at any time, as they can't tell you when in case the letter gets intercepted. So I hope I see you soon.

Ron

P.S. In case you're wondering the other letters from Ginny. For some reason she insisted on sending you a letter.

Well that was certainly an interesting note. It was nice to know that some one cared more about him than just keeping him alive, in fact the fact that Mrs Weasley had had the foresight to realise that he would never want to go back to Grimmauld place made him smile all the more.

Having digested the fact that he would be leaving the Dursleys sooner than even he had dared to hope, he picked up the third and final letter with a small amount of trepidation. Ginny had never sent him a letter before and so he wondered why she had decided to send one now. Suddenly, he remembered that Ginny had helped a lot at the end of last year and he might go as far as to say that they had become friends so he supposed that she had just as much right to send him letters as Ron or Hermione. With that thought sorted out he slid a finger into the envelope and withdrew the letter from with in.

Dear Harry.

I hope you weren't too surprise to receive my letter as I felt that I had become one of your friends. (I hope I wasn't wrong in this assumption). Well any way I assume you have had enough letters from your fan club telling you to stop beating yourself up over this so I won't bother. Instead I thought you might like a light letter about nothing so here goes….

Ginny's letter then went on to describe how various teams were doing in the league (it seems that the Wimbleborn wasps were top with the Cannons being bottom, much to Ron's displeasure) and how Fred and George's shop was doing a roaring trade just from there school reputation alone. It also went on to say that she hoped that if he was eating properly that he had best send a letter to her Mum or Law or no Law she would hex him into next week for worrying her Mum like that.

…. Also I heard you were coming here soon so I hope to see you then.

Ginny.

P.S. You should see the number of owls Ron and Hermione are sending between them and I'm sure you're not the topic of all of them. (Nudge, Nudge)

Harry was not sure what to make of that last comment, but he supposed he would just have to ask her. In any case he was very glad that someone had realised that he didn't want a flood of owls showing concern and pity and that even though he was pleased that people cared that much for him he much preferred Ginny's letter. In fact the only thing that surprised him the most was that it had been Ginny and not one of his other friends that had thought deeper about Harry's emotional needs at this moment in time. However the more he though about it the less surprised he as. After all Ron, like Harry, wasn't much good on the emotional front and Hermione would be to caught up in research to stop and think things through. If Hermione had one fault it was that she always over complicated things that were often quite simple.

So it was that with a much lighter heart that Harry drifted off to sleep that night.

'What do you mean you couldn't get in,' yelled a high pitched voice from behind the high backed chair by the fireplace.

'Th Th there was some kind of wards placed on the house my Lord. Every time we went near the place it would disappear and would only reappear when we moved away.' Came the voice of the blond haired man knelling on the carpet before the chair.

'I won't stand for this constant failure Malfoy. Twice now you have failed to capture Potter. Perhapes a dose of punisement will change you mind. Remember Malfoy that I don't tolerate failure.'

'Yes my Lord.' Malfoy replied before kissing the hem of his master's robes. 'I won't fail you again.'

'No. Indeed you won't. CRUCIO.' A wand had appeared before the now screaming man and the only sound that could be heard over the anguished screams of the Death Eater was the cruel high pitched laugh of Lord Voldemort as he sat in the chair with is gleaming red eyes shut as his reptillian face twisted in the act of laughter.

Hundreds of miles away Harry Potter woke screaming to find himself being shaken awake by the large ham sized fist of Vernon Dursley, Harry's overweight Uncle.

'WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ALL THIS BOY. I WILL NOT BE WOKEN AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT BY AN UNWELCOME FREAK. EXPLAIN YOURSELF NOW,' Vernon screamed into Harry's face whilst still shaking him roughly by the shoulder.

'It was just a nightmare.' Harry struggled to reply as he was shaken vigorously.

'I won't have it boy. That's the last time you wake my family up in the middle of the night with your unnecessary screaming. You are to pack your things and leave. Immediately.' And before Harry could even begin to argue he had picked up Harry's trunk and flung it unceremoniously down the stairs and left the room.

"What now" thought Harry. It really didn't look like he had much choice, so he sent a quick letter to Dumbledore explaining what had happened and let Hedwig out of her cage and watched her fly out the open window over the steely grey roofing tiles and off into the inky blackness of the night. Harry knew that whereever he ended up she would be able to find him.

Harry quickly gathered together the few objects that were scattered around his room before diving under the bed to retrieve the few items stashed under the loose floorboard. Having grabbed every item that hadn't been in his trunk and after tucking Hedwig's cage under his arm he made his way down the stairs where he found all three Dursleys watching him with different expressions on the faces. His uncle's was one of pure vehemence and anger that he had had to put up with Harry for the past fifteen years. Whilst his overweight whale of a cousin Dudley showed signs of glee at the thought that Harry was finally getting what he deserved. The only expression that surprised Harry was the look of regret that his aunt was wearing, but after a moments quick contemplation he put it down to the fact that she was probably thinking what the order might do after the warning they had given the Dursleys on the platform at Kings Cross at the end of the school year.

Thinking that at least the retribution the order might enact on the Dursleys was worth the fact that he now had nowhere to live bar Hogwarts. So it was with mixed feelings that Harry dragged he trunk down the still wet road as he contemplated what he was going to do. Harry suddenly had a flash of inspiration and without a moment hesitation he whipped out his wand and threw is arm out into the road as if hailing a taxi. Seconds later with a blast likened to that of a cannon a violent purple triple decker bus appeared and screeched to a halt next to Harry causing several of the occupants and there beds to slide forward several feet. Before Stan Shunpike, the conductor, could even get out to greet Harry with the usual response, Harry had hauled his trunk onboard and thrust a bag of sickles at Stan.

'Were d'you want t' go,' asked the pimpled youth.

With a moments hesitation Harry replied, 'The Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole.'

With a loud bang, the bus disappeared from the quite trimmed road of Privet drive and appeared hurtling through the heart of London. As a tube station jumped out of the way Harry lay down and decided to try and get some sleep and, despite the reoccurrence of the beds sliding up and down the bus every time it disappeared from one area to another, he finally managed to drift into a light sleep. So it was that the conductor shook him awake a while later and with a quick glance out of the window Harry took in the now familiar view of the lop-sided building.

'You wana 'and wi'h 'hat,' Stan offered, indicated the trunk.

'Thanks.' Having grabbed the end of the trunk, they lowered it into the yard before Stan jumped back of the bus and shouted something to Ernie the driver. Seconds later the doors slammed shut and the Purple bus banged out of existence.


	2. The Burrow

Chapter 2 – The Burrow 

Harry tiredly dragged the battered school trunk slowly up the overgrown paved path to the front door, shooing some of the inquisitive brown speckled hens out of the way as he went. As he reached the door of his friend's family home he suddenly realised that he had arrived completely unannounced and that it was still just gone dawn. Mentally berating himself for his selfish thoughts and now unsure what was going to happen now that he had got here Harry set down his school trunk and decided that he would take a quick walk round the house to see if anyone was up.

As Harry slowly trudged around the house he took in the building properly for the first time. The building was a three story higgledy-piggledy type of house that looked as though it had started as a single story farm building but that as the Weasley's had had more children the house had been extended to accommodate. From what Ron had said the Weasley's had always lived at the Burrow as long as anyone could remember and so a lot of the adjustments had been done years ago and no-one felt like smartening it up any. Harry personally thought that this house was the best house he had every seen and though he had been there on several occasions it still amazed him that the place still stood up at all however as he wandered around the side of the building and squeezed past a large Rhododendron he noticed something he had never seen before. As he stared at the joints between the bricks and the walls he noticed a green throbbing glow surrounding all of the major construction pieces and this he assumed was what was holding the whole place together. As he reached the back yard he peered in through the back window into the kitchen and was disappointed to find that there was no one there. It took him a moment to think that no one in their right mind would be up at the crack of dawn for no reason and as he had just shown up totally out of the blue he suddenly thought he was being awfully selfish to think that he could just show up and expect everyone to welcome him with open arms. He knew that with out a doubt the Weasley's would welcome him but he thought that he should at least do some thing to earn his stay seeing as they hadn't prepared for his arrival even if they were planning for him to come later in the summer.

Over the next several hours Harry spent de-knowing and weeding the garden. He started by chasing the pesky critters around the yard and then grabbing their short legs and hurling them over the back fence into the field beyond. He was so caught up in the weeding that he failed to see Hedwig fly overhead in through an open window. Having De-knomed the whole yard he set about doing some of the much-needed gardening. He had originally thought when he had first been to the Burrow that the Weasley's simple liked an untidy garden but having spent the best part of 5 years getting to know them he realised that they simply didn't have the time for the upkeep of their garden as well as controlling their six children and working (Both officially and in the Order) and so Harry thought that it was the least he could do to garden the yard, after all he had had lots of practise at it with the Dursley's. As he was working he did notice some decidedly magical looking purple violets (Due to the fact they were all singing raucously) but years of Herbology (and an incident in his first year) had taught him to steer clear of all magical beings, whether flora or fauna, that he didn't immediately recognise and know how to handle, and whilst he knew that Hermione or perhaps Neville could probably tell he what the purple violets were and how to deal with them they weren't here currently so he just left them singing 'Land of Hope and Glory' loudly in the corner of the Yard.

So it was the Harry was discovered at around six thirty in the morning with dirt on he hands and knees and with various gardening implements lying next to him.

'HARRY. What in the name of Merlin are you doing?' Came a voice from behind him.

'I was just weeding the yard and I've de-knomed the place and was going to paint the fence but I couldn't find the paint, it might be in the garage but that was locked when I tried it earlier,' replied Harry forgetting that he wasn't at Privet drive any more. 'Is there anything else you would li..' Harry was unable to finish the sentence as he was swept into a bone crushing hug by Mrs Weasley who had come down early to start breakfast for Mr Weasley who had to head of into work early.

'But what are you doing at the Burrow? You weren't supposed to arrive here for weeks yet,' Mrs Weasley asked again having released Harry from her motherly embrace.

'I'm sorry if I'm intruding, I can leave if you want, I just didn't know where else to go.'

'What are you on about, of course we don't mind. I was just a little surprised. Come inside and you can tell me everything, OK?' As she said this she led Harry through the back door and seated him at the scrubbed wooden kitchen table that had occupied the same space in the kitchen everytime Harry had been to the Burrow.

'So, Harry dear, what is going on? We've all been so worried about you but I didn't think Professor Dumbledore was going to let you leave and till around you Birthday in a few weeks, this morning Hedwig arrived with a note saying to expect you earlier than expected but I didn't think it would be so soon, I'll tell you something if this had anything to do with the Dursleys then I will hex them so bad they will wish they had never seen a wizard.'

Harry couldn't help but smile at her overprotective attidude on his behalf as well as the irony of her comment about the Dursleys, as far as they were concerned they already wished they had never seen a wizard. However the smile was soon covered by Harry's now perfected veil of indifference that he now pasted on his face as he replied 'He didn't let me leave. Uncle Vernon kicked me out of the house,' for some reason Harry couldn't bring himself to tell Mrs Weasley why he had been kicked out. It would only worry her even more if she knew he was having nightmares and he didn't want to trouble the kind lady any more than he already had. Already she treated Harry like he knew his own mother would of done and he already appreciated it all so much so he couldn't bring any more worry on her when already she had half of her family involved in the order during this time. 'Well anyway he kicked me out about three o'clock this morning and when I was dragging my trunk along the street the first think I thought of was coming here. I hope you don't mind me saying but this is the only place that I have considered home. I mean I have always enjoyed staying at Hogwarts and stuff but nothing beats staying with your friends and family. So I called the night bus and arrived here about an hour later, that would be about two hours ago. When I got here though I realised that you weren't expecting me so I thought I would do some work in the yard while I was waiting and then you could call Dumbledore and ask him where I should go.' With this said Harry look ashamedly down at the floor hoping that Mrs Weasley wouldn't be mad at what he had said. However when he finally looked up there were tears in the red haired woman's eyes and with a muttered 'Oh, Harry' she swept him up into the second fierce embrace of the hour.

'How could you think we wouldn't want you to stay here anytime you like. We don't have much but what is ours is yours as well. And of course I don't mind you thinking of this as your home, and you will always be welcome when ever. Now I am going to send a letter to Professor Dumbledore to let him know you are here although Dumbledore seemed to have an inkling of where you might be the Order seem to have lost you. After that I'll make some breakfast for you and then you can go and get some sleep, the beds in Fred and George's room should be free as there spending all their time at that dreadful shop of theirs, that way you wont disturb Ron and you can get some sleep.' With that see got up and hurried out of the room in search and parchment and some ink.

Several minutes later she returned.

'Harry. I have informed the Order of your whereabouts and I am sure that Professor Dumbledore will wish to speak with you about why you were kicked out by the Dursleys, in fact I wouldn't mind knowing my self, but I am sure he will be happy with the fact that you are safe. Now I will do some sausages and some bacon and then you can go and get some sleep. You must be tired I still can't believe you de-knomed and weeded the entire yard on your own.'

Harry quickly ate and left the kitchen with Mrs Weasley muttering about those 'Mean Hearted Dursley People' and how Dumbledore could ever have made him stay there at all. As he reached the second landing from the kitchen he noticed several doors leading of from the hall, one he knew was another flight of stairs that led upstairs to where the bathroom and Ron's room was located. The next on the left was labelled 'Parents Room – No Children Allowed'. Knowing who slept there he swept he gaze down the beige hall to the Door at the end of the hall that read 'Percy's Room – No One Allowed'. Assuming that Mrs Weasley left this room as it had been in hope that Percy would see the error of his ways and finally apologise for being such a prat last year. Harry's gaze swept back down the right hand wall and saw that Ginny was the only other person on this all way so he assumed that Fred and George's room was behind him. Sure enough as he turned round he noticed a door with the words 'Inventors at work – Beware'. Harry laughed nervously as he entered wondering if the twins had left any of the tricks around to get anyone who might unwittingly enter the room. However as he entered the only thing that happened was that the door creaked eerily shut on its own behind him. Exhausted Harry just collapsed on one of the twin beds and fell straight into a thankful almost dreamless sleep.

Harry awoke next morning feeling refreshed he had had the best nights sleep he had had all summer, he had however had the strangest dream he had ever had about a tall man with a staff who looked like an even older figure of Dumbledore (Not that Harry thought that Dumbledore could look much older without actually being dead he was so old). However Harry put it down to the fact that he had fallen asleep on a full stomach and was just glad it hadn't been his usual nightmares of Voldemort or one of his past experiences.

As Harry dressed he was wondering if Mrs Weasley had told any of the others that he was here. He hoped not as that would give him a chance to scare the pants of Ron during his usual large breakfast. He thought that he may even be able to perform the impossible and put Ron of his food but he doubted it very much. So it was that Harry crept silently down the stairs and slowly crept up behind a feasting Ron. With a quick glance at Ginny who had almost jumped with surprise as she had seen Harry come down the stairs he silently warned her to be quite. Then with one quick motion he grabbed the back of Ron's jumper and gave it a sharp tug. The result of this action was hilarious. Ginny fell off the back of her chair with laughter as Ron jumped about three feet in the air causing the sausage he was in the middle of eating to fly of he fork and ended up down Ron's jumper. Suddenly Ron flung a clenched fist around behind him, that would have connected with Harry's nose if for the fact that he was now rolling around on the floor in silent mirth, the fact that he had missed Harry's now prone form caused him to fall off the chair and onto the floor.

'HARRY. What the hell are you doing here,' Ron spluttered as he got off the floor and helped Harry up.

'Ron! Mind your language,' commented Mrs Weasley as she bustled in with an armful of dirty washing causing Ginny to blush as Harry noticed a pair of pale blue knickers on the top of the pile. 'Harry is here because those ungrateful muggles don't appreciate him. Now eat your breakfast and you can go and do your homework as Harry had kindly de-knomed the garden already. Harry you can do what ever you want.'

'Well, I would do home work with Ron but I already have done it as there isn't anything else to do at the Dursleys.' This wasn't altogether true as there were always plenty of chores to do at the Dursleys home, but Harry didn't think anyone else needed to know. Besides he had managed to do all of his homework. 'Perhaps I'll just go and read a book in the garden while the weathers nice.'

'Ok Harry, I'll bring lunch out if the weather holds and the three of you can have it out there. Now off you go I have plenty of laundry to do and I don't want you in the way.

Having assured Harry that she was quite capable of doing it herself. She shooed them all out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

'So mate, where are you staying as you weren't in my room last night.'

'Well I was in Fred and George's old room as they, apparently, are staying in the flat above their shop.'

'Right. Well I suppose I will see you at lunch as I haven't even touched the mountain of homework we were set. I still can't believe how much we got considering that the staff don't know which subjects were taking yet,' complained Ron before he disappeared up the next flight of stairs leaving Harry and Ginny standing awkwardly on the landing.

'So..Um..What are you going to do Ginny? Do you want to come and talk out side, I have been meaning to ask you about the letter you sent.'

'Well I was going to do some homework but I have almost finished it so it can wait if you want.'

So ten minutes later found Harry and Ginny leaning against the tree talking amiable about their respective summers.

'I can't believe Fred turned your Dad into a canary, I bet you mum had a fit,' replied Harry laughing at he comment Ginny had made about the fact that Fred had offered his dad a Canary Cream claiming that it was a muggle sweet. Mr Weasley had of course jumped at the opportunity to try a muggle object and as such spent the next twenty minutes walking around as a giant yellow canary.

'Actually mum thought it was hilarious, something about wanting to get here own back on him for something or other. It was kind of weird seeing her approves of something the twins had done.'

'Wow, I thought your mum would never approve of them. I am glad though because we really need some laughs this year,' Harry replied, as he grew suddenly solemn again at the thought of what this year had to come. So far something bad always happened towards the end of every year and it always seemed to have something to do with Voldemort.

Ginny, sensing the route his mood was swiftly taking, decided that she needed to lighten the mood slightly. 'Yes, we will need some of their jokes if were going to make the slimy git pay for everything he has ever done. And judging by the way Ron's been acting he might want to be even more careful around Hermione this year, ehh?'

'What do you mean? I seem to remember you hinting at something in your letter but I still have no clue what you're talking about. Care to explain?' replied Harry cluelessly.

Ginny muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'boys' before continuing. 'Well its obvious isn't it?' she said staring at Harry's blank expression. 'Honestly your as bad as Ron,' she finally cried in exasperation as Harry obviously had no idea what was happening. 'It is really very simple. Ron likes Hermione. Hermione likes Ron.'

'I like them too. I mean were all best friends after all,' Harry stated as if Ginny was of her rocker.

'No Harry they LIKE each other. See I knew you get there eventually,' see said as a light flicked on in his head. Was she saying that his two best friends had a crush on each other? Why then hadn't they said anything about it to anyone? However Harry thought that his lack of knowledge and experience meant that he wasn't that aware of that side of life (as he had shown last year) and so he supposed this was just another of his problems that he would have to deal with over the next few years. 'Sorry Ginny. I haven't known much love in my life. The Dursleys are hardly the type when it comes to me. In fact your family was the first time I had ever experienced love. I mean I know that my parents must have loved me but I can't remember that. Arghhhhh. Its just so bloody complicated,' he finished angrily.

Ginny moved further around the tree so as to be able to comfort he better.' Don't worry Harry,' she responded as she saw the look of depression and sadness. Everyone who ever loved him was dying and that was hurting Harry's ability to come closer to people. However she had never thought that he had gone his entire life without the love every child should feel from a loving family. She herself could hardly imagine what it would be like to grow up without love in your life. She reached an arm out and rubbed his back as she had seen he mum do whenever one of her children was feeling sad. 'Don't worry Harry, you know that my family love you as if you were born a Weasley and no matter what I will always be there for you. As for Ron and Hermione. You would have to lock them up to stop them following you wherever you went. Though knowing Hermione they would still break out. Now stop moping and lets change the subject to something nicer.'

'Thanks Ginny. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't have been here. I am sorry I dumped on you like that I really should have kept that to myself.'

'HARRY JAMES POTTER,' she shouted, in that motherly tone Mrs Weasley always used when she disapproved of something, causing Harry to wince, 'Never, ever, apologise for opening up. I confess I was a little surprised that it was to mean but none the less I am glad you have decided to come out of that thick shell of yours.'

'I guess. I think I opened up to you because you know where I'm coming from on this one. Ohh, I don't know but thanks for listening anyway. Hey, is it me or is it getting brighter over by the house?' asked Harry as he thought he saw a faint white glow emanating from the kitchen window.

'I don't see anything Harry. Want to check it out?' she had no idea what Harry was talking about but he seemed anxious about it and even though everything seemed normal she had come to trust Harry's instincts over the past year.

'No, it's nothing. Let's go back to our books before Mrs Weasley comes to get us for lunch.' However they had barely retrieved their pages when Mrs Weasley came bustling over saying that Professor Dumbledore had arrived and wanted a word with Harry about some issues he had. Therefore Harry steeled himself for a tirade from Dumbledore about the end of last term when Harry had smashed the delicate silver objects in his office, not to mention what had occurred this morning.

Harry knocked on the door of the study that Mr Weasley sometimes used when he was not at work and he immediately heard a reply from the other side.

'Come in,' came a voice from the other side of the wood panelled door. 'Ah Harry. Have a seat.' Harry took the proffered seat and began to apologise from everything he had done at the end of term. He may have still been angry at Dumbledore for the deception he had used over the past few years but that had not given him the right to destroy his Headmasters office. In fact now that he thought about it Harry in his own way had been just as deceptive with his friends over the years and had used similar excuses as Dumbledore about the fact that he had only been trying to protect them. Now he realised that Dumbledore had only had his best interests at heart he found it hard to be cold towards the kindly old man that sat before him now with a frown creasing his forehead.

'Sir, can I just say I am sorry for destroying your office. If you need to get it repaired please take the money out of my vault.'

'No harm done. Everything had been fixed and is back in its rightful place. I feel that you had plenty of good reasons for blowing out on me like that so no hard feelings. Now about you arrangements this summer. Mrs Weasley has kindly arranged to keep you here but after your birthday I would like you and the group that accompanied you last term to stay at Hogwarts for the remainder of the holidays for some advanced training that I fell is well behind schedule. Providing that is ok with you?' he waited for Harry's response with an inward nervousness, he had not done as he should have concerning the boy and he felt that it was about time for him to make it up. He had recently heard, from none other than Serverus no less, what Harry had had to endure at the Dursleys and was mortified to find out the level of abuse that Harry had had to endure through the ten years before he started Hogwarts. He had of course assumed that the Dursleys merely ignored and feed him, he had not known that they had worked him to the bone everyday. In point of fact Dumbledore was surprised to see Harry had made friends as quickly as he had and silently thanked the Weasley's for the kindness they had shown towards Harry. He was brought out of his reverie as he noticed Harry look up as he prepared his answer.

'I would be happy to go back to Hogwarts providing all six of us receive the same training. As Ginny astutely pointed out to me not but five minutes ago. You would have to lock them all away and throw away the key to stop them going with me to face Voldemort and the Deatheaters and even then they would probably find someway to come and though I dislike the idea of anyone else getting hurt immensely I am resigned to the fact that I can't do this alone and so I want them to have the same training level that I have so that I know that they will be ready. Also, if its ok with you I would like to continue with the DA again this year as I fell it really helped those that were involved.'

'Ah, it is good to here that you will be returning early to Hogwarts this year. It is one less thing of an old mans mind. And between you and me the less on my mind the better as it can only handle so much, its not what it used to be. Now as to the DA I agree that you can continue it on the sole condition you allow anyone to join if they show the correct interest in such a venture. There should of course be no problem obtaining the required teacher supervision as the ministry has removed all of the educational decrees from the past year. Speaking of which I believe this belongs to you sir.' With this he pulled out Harry's Firebolt from where he had kept it behind the desk in the small study. 'Now I believe that I should let you go or Molly will be after my blood for keeping you from the wonderful spread she has no doubt put on for you and you friends. I will return in a few days to discuss a few things of a less pleasant agenda, until then keep well and do not worry about the order work at this time.'

With that he rose from the sumptuous leather chair he had conjured and removed it before exciting the room with a small wave towards Harry.


	3. An Old Man's Mistake

Sorry it's been so long guys but here is chapter three (Though its really the end of Chapter 2 that I never finished). Thanks to all my reviewers it really helps keep me motivated. 

I am not nor have ever claimed to be JK and I don't own any of the Harry potter characters

Chapter 3 – An Old Mans Mistake. 

Harry stared blankly at the door that had recently been vacated by the white haired old man that had once been Harry's rock of trust in past times. Now he wondered vaguely how someone could say all of the right things and still totally miss that point. During the conversation Harry had been polite and had acted as pleased as he could at the thought of staying at the Burrow and Hogwarts for the rest of the Holidays. He had always enjoyed both places and so found that part easy. The hard part had been hiding his anger at the old man and it had taken all of Harry's skill at Occlumency to make sure that none of his anger showed on he face or in any of the mind that Dumbledore might see fit to probe. He had originally thought after much debating over the few weeks he had spent at the Dursley's that he had been wrong to argue with Dumbledore's method. After all he did similar things himself to keep his friends safe, but now he knew that he had been wrong, Dumbledore wasn't trying to protect him, he was trying to keep him alive long enough to get rid of Voldemort. The headmaster had said himself that he had been happy that he had survived the Dursley's he didn't seem in the least displeased that he had been beaten and abused for 10 years of his life or that he had never had a proper full sized meal until the first day at Hogwarts.

Now he had gone too far. At least before none of the others were in danger. At least by not informing them they could lead vaguely normal lives. Now the old fool wanted to bring them in to the fold, to train them when there was no cause. The prophecy didn't mention anything about there being several people who could kill Voldemort. No Harry was the only one who had been chosen, he was the one who had to become a murderer to save the world there was no reason to put his friends, no his family in any more danger than they already in. At least with the order they were all old enough to choose whether they wanted to fight or not but Dumbledore hadn't given the others any choice. Well Harry had had enough of the guy. He was always acting as if he knew the best and that what he said had to be followed by the letter. In this he was no better that Voldemort and he was sick of it. He made up his mind then and there that although Ginny had told him it wasn't worth trying to get rid of his family he had to try. If Voldemort found out that he was staying at the Burrow he would find his way here no matter what defensive wards were put up to surround the place. His only option was to leave as soon as he could.

However as he stepped out of the office and smelt the delightful aroma of Mrs Weasley's home cooking he decided that he would think about his escape plan later and have some dinner first. God only knew when he would next get a meal as good as the meals he always received at the Burrow. So he trundled down the hall wishing for the umpteenth time that he could be normal and could stay at the Burrow with his best friend. As he sat at the kitchen table that was groaning under the weight of the spread he sighed earning him a quizzical look for most of the tables occupants before they were all to engrossed in there own conversations to realise that Harry was even less talkative than usual as he had decided that if he was going to detach himself from the world then he best start now.

All to soon in Harry's opinion the meal was over and all of the Weasley's left to relax in various parts of the house leaving Harry wishing that the meal had never ended so he wouldn't have to go through with his plan. Quickly giving Ron an excuse that he was still tried from his arrival that morning he hurried up stairs and quickly began preparing the things he thought he would need and placing them on the top of the pile in his trunk before closing the lid. He then got into bed and pulled the covers up to cover all of him in case Ron decided to poke his head in before going to bed. With that Harry waited for the rest of the household to find there way to their separate rooms pondering how he was going to attempt his escape. Before long the only sound that could be heard in the strange house was the ghoul in the attic occasionally clanking on a pipe to make sure everyone knew he was still there. So Harry slowly got up and opened his trunk and pulled out his Firebolt and his invisibility cloak. Throwing the cloak around him and pulling the hood up he looked back in his trunk and taking one of Fred and George's latest inventions out of his trunk he placed the Levitating Lead on the four corners of the base of his trunk which instantly began to float at about waist height. Praising the ingenuity of the twins he tied the trunk to his waist and threw the end of the clock over it as well glad for once he wasn't as tall as Ron as the cloak barely fit over him and the trunk. With that Harry was ready to set of and slowly eased the door of the room open and began to creep towards the stairs when he heard a muffled cry coming from Ginny's room. Unsure of what to do he untied the trunk and placed the cloak over it before creeping into the next room down the corridor. The sight that met his eyes appalled him so much that he temporarily forgot the fact he was supposed to be silently sneaking out of the house. Ginny lay tossing and turning in her bed with the sheets twisted and tangled around her slight form moaning and crying out enough to let Harry guess she was reliving the Chamber of Secrets incident. Where most boys would have stopped to stare at the girl in only her night-dress Harry, completely oblivious to the lack of clothes on the young woman's body, ran to her side and began shaking her gently around the shoulders only briefly stopping when he heard her moan 'Harry, No, You can't die. I lo...

'Come on Ginny wake up. It's me Harry. You're safe now he can't get you here any more. Come on wake up.'

Slowly Ginny began to open her eyes sleepily. 'What? Who's there?' She asked as she stared up at Harry's dark silhouette.

'It's only me Ginny, you were having a nightmare,' He responded softly still unsure of what to do and for the first time noticing the fact that she was only wearing her night-dress and blushed deeep red thankful that the room was dark.

'Oh, Harry. It was so terrible I thought he had got you,' she cried flinging her self around his neck and sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder.

'Umm…It's Ok it was only a dream,' said Harry shakily. He was more used to being the victim of the nightmares not the one comforting them. 'Your safe back in the Burrow and I'm fine see.'

'Thank you Harry.' Ginny replied as she finally released Harry and wiped her eyes on her duvet. 'You must think I am acting like a complete prat, blubbing over a stupid dream.'

'I don't think your stupid Ginny. Remember I have them all the time as well I know what there like. Now why don't you try and get some sleep, I have to go before someone sees me here and gets the wrong idea.'

As Ginny slowly lay back down she finally noticed that Harry was still fully dressed which was strange since he had gone to bed hours before anyone else.

'Harry. Why are you still dressed?' she asked taking in his momentary shifty look before he caught himself.

'I was just going for a walk. Couldn't sleep. Night Ginny.'

'Night Harry. Thanks again.' And with that she drifted of to sleep before having time to ponder the fact that Harry was taking a stroll at one in the morning.

Harry let out a sigh of relief as he shut the door to Ginny's room and fastened his trunk back around he waist before throwing in his father's cloak. He had almost got caught then. He was going to have to be more careful. But what was he supposed to have done he couldn't very well have left Ginny to suffer the warped replay of what was undoubtedly the Chamber incident. But pushing all this aside he slipped silently down the stairs and slipped silently out of the back door leaving the house once again in a state of perpetual silence. The only sign that anything was amiss lay on the kitchen table. Upon the top clearly visible in the beam of moonlight that was shining through the small round window above the door sat a letter with the words 'To the Weasley's.' in green in on the front.

Sorry it's a little short it just was such a good Cliché ending that it needed to stop there. I promise that the next chapter will be longer.


	4. The Potter Legacy

Sorry for the long wait everyone but I had to re-write this chapter 3 times and I'm still not totally happy with it, but there you go.

Thanks to all the reviewers, it really keeps me going.

Chapter 4 –A Potter Legacy.

Harry's feet pounded on the cold wet slabs of the pavement that led down the small country road through the middle of Ottery St Catchpole. He stopped only to check the streets were clear before heading down a road that seemed to head north. He didn't know exactly where the village was located but he knew it was in the south somewhere and so his best bet was to head north and figure what he was going to do then. He stopped suddenly when he spotted the light form a Muggle vehicle coming towards him on the road causing his levitated trunk to slam painfully into his lower back. Ignoring the pain he jumped behind one of the large trees, that were situated all along the northern road out of the small village, until the tractor had passed by.

Harry soon slowed down to a brisk walk panting heavily. He had managed a few miles but wizards weren't renown for the fitness, as they didn't see the need to be able to lift heavy weights of run long distances as they could just use magic instead. In fact the only reason he had come so far was the he was on the school Quidditch team which whilst played on brooms had given him some sort of exercise. He sat against the trunk of an upturned tree and pulled a sandwich from the small backpack that he had placed a few essentials in, and began contemplating the situation he once again seemed to find him self in. For the second time in as many days he found himself alone in both the Muggle and the Wizarding world with nothing but his trunk for comfort. He only had a few galleons and next to no Muggle money so that was his first priority. He somehow needed to get to Gringotts and get some more money from his vault as well as some new equipment as he didn't know how long he would have to fend for himself before he could make Dumbledore see reason. He had seriously believed that the old man was trying to act as best as possible and even Harry had realised that there was no getting rid of his friends but never in his wildest dreams would he have ever thought that Dumbledore would actually contemplate training all of them to help in the fight against Voldemort. The headmaster of all people knew what this war entailed and it didn't involve any of his friends aiding in the final battle. The best thing they could do was stay out of the way. Over the summer he had realised that he needed there support badly if he was ever to succeed and come out of this in one piece, Both mentally and Physically, and if any of them got injured or died during any of the fights then there was no way Harry could go on. He had seen them injured in a fight that was never theirs to fight and then seen his own godfather killed before him because he had been stupid enough to believe everything he saw without telling anyone. He kept telling himself to listen to Ginny's words and not push them further away as then he would be unable to protect them but if by being close to him they had to train to fight with him then he would rather leave them where they would be safe from him. He would rather die than bring harm on any of his 'Family'. With this though aside his slowly re-shouldered his backpack and took his broom out of his trunk. Right now he didn't care who saw him and as it was dark he doubted very much if anyone would any way. He had decided through all his musings that he would go to Diagon alley under his cloak and stay at the Leaky Cauldron as he knew that Tom the Barkeep got lots of 'Unusual' customers and so wouldn't ask to many questions so long as he was paid. So he kicked of from the ground and felt a small tug around the waist as he trunk sluggishly followed as he ascended as high as he could.

Several hours later Harry was beginning to regret his choice to take of in the middle of the night. He was cold, hungry and tired and to top it of all off he had absolutely no idea where he was. He had flown over endless bands of shadowy forests and fields outlined in the moonlight. Every now and then he had spotted a small patch of light that due to there infrequency told him he was still deep in the middle of the country and not in an area full of large towns and cities where he might hitch a ride. He started looking for a place he could spend the night when he spotted a patch of land the reflected the moonlight and at first thought it to be a large lake, but when he spotted the waves breaking on the beach he realised that he had reached a coast. During the course of the night he had been travelling slowly north and east, as he knew the Burrow was in the Southwest somewhere. So he knew that he couldn't have reached either the north of Scotland or the East Coast so he began puzzling where he might be. He cursed silently that wizards didn't deem it necessary to learn Geography as they could usually travel by Floo, Portkey or Apparation so he had top rely on the limited knowledge he had gained at his primary school. So as he made a mental note to suggest to Dumbledore he flew lower towards what he could see was a road to look for some type of road sign to give him some sort of hint as to where he was wishing more than anything he could have taken the night bus. When he had made his plans earlier that day he had decided that it would be to risky to take the knight bus as if anyone was trying to track him down they would be sure to check there first. So it was a demoralised Harry that flew down towards the road and spotted a small light illuminating a green road sign that might aid Harry in his escape. However Harry almost fell of his broom in shock when he read the names of the list:

Cardiff M3 13

Bristol M6 24

Godric's Hol' A32 3

L'pool M5 49

M'Chester M5 38

St Hogret A43 4

M'mead A203 11/2

He was shocked when he realised that he had been to the burrow several times and no one had bothered to tell him that the Village where he parents hideout was, where his parents had died, was only a few tens of miles down the road. This thought only caused Harry's anger towards Dumbledore to grow exponentially. He knew deep down that the Headmaster was only trying to ease the pain Harry had always been forced to face throughout his life but he couldn't help but think that he would have preferred that he had been told before rather than find out like this. So Harry decided that he would go and stay there first as it was near by and Harry was too tired to go any further. So Harry flew down the road where he had spotted the sign post and followed the directions that appeared randomly along the lonely road. Just as the cold greyness that was dawn was making its presents felt in the coolness of a midsummer morning he spotted he destination and decided that it would be prudent to walk the short distance to the village so as to not draw the attention of any early risers.

As he entered the out skirts of the small village he saw that it was barely bigger than Hogsmead. It contained a main high street with muggle stores lining the road on either side of the street. As he past a small store for baby clothes he amused himself with the thought that his parents may have bought many of his baby clothes there when he was younger. However this thought immediately turned sour at the thought that his parents didn't live long enough to use the store for more than one year. He was so deep in this depressing line of thought that he almost missed a completely out of place pub sandwiched between a grocers and a fast food restaurant. Chuckling to himself he paused to admire the lack of originality of the Wizarding world and really thought that the purebloods really didn't have much to fight for as it was all so dated. He supposed that most of the pureblood family's were fighting purely on principle and due to the conditioning and pressure they had received from the older generations of the families. With a quick glance up and down the street to check for nosy Muggles he swiftly entered the House-elf's Head, which showed a picture that reminded him all to much of Grimmauld Place and therefore of Sirius, though not before he had donned his invisible clock and placed his broom back in his trunk.

The inside of the pub was dark and dingy, much like its counterpart the Leaky cauldron. Harry quickly checked to make sure that the pub was indeed magical, but when he spotted a Butterbeer foaming enticingly in a the hand of a man dressed in lilac robes he pulled his trunk through the door praying that the barkeep would be as willing to not ask questions as Tom. He steeped up to the counter and rang a small hand bell on the counter. As he looked around waiting for the owner he noticed that very few people were staring at the lone floating trunk and for that he was glad. A small but broad man wiping a large tankard down with a dishcloth brought him suddenly out of his thoughts though.

"'Ose there. Show your self," spoke the short man behind the bar.

"I'd rather not if it's all the same to you. I would like to rent a room for one day, with breakfast and a seven PM alarm call. I promise you I have more than enough money to make it worth your while and you with be handsomely tipped if you could keep it all anonymous, Thank you"

The bar keep obviously was used to tenants coming and going one official or non official business as he merely requested that Harry follow him up some rickety stairs and into a small room towards the back of the building that was obviously magically enlarged as it was much larger on the inside than the outside would lead you to believe.

"In 'ear. The cost will be 1 galleon for the room and 5 sickles for the meal, 7 if you want a drink."

So Harry rooted around in his trunk for his moneybag and pulled out 3 galleons to the man and told him to keep the change. With that the squat bartender took his leave and left with a soft click of the door as he closed it behind him. Making sure that the man was definitely gone Harry removed his clock and sighed as he sank into a squishy armchair under the sole window in the room that looked out onto a small bricked yard with a few Dustbins piled against the rear wall, Wizards really were very boring.

Harry spent a minute making sure that his trunk was securely shut with one of the magical padlocks he had bought on one of the many trips to Hogsmead he had taken one he suddenly realised that he had completely forgotten about is beloved owl. He smacked his open palm into his forehead when he realised what a pickle he had put himself into with his rash thinking. Sometimes he wished that he would stop and think before he rushed off on a spur of the moment idea that popped into his head because he felt let down or angry about some thing. Now he found himself in a strange town in the middle of the Muggle and Wizarding world and he had no way of contacting anyone without raising suspicions by going to a post office to borrow a post owl. But now wasn't the time to worry about that, he had made his bed and he was just going to have to lie in it. He was here to find out where his parents had lived when they were in hiding. So with that he wandered back out onto the muggle side of Godric's Hollow and began walking down the street to find the area where most of the residential areas were. He soon broke out of the business district and began wandering aimlessly around the area looking for any evidence of the house. He was just glad that the village was so small or he would not stand a chance in finding the Potter's plot of land amongst the small quaint thatched cottages that were sprawled along side the wide sub-urban street with there large gardens with flower beds that Harry knew his Aunt Petunia would have given her left arm to own (If giving ones left arm for a garden was deemed Abnormal). He took his time to wander down the few streets that winded there way outwards from the centre and admired the beautiful cottage gardens radiant in the early morning sunlight when he spotted an open patch and as he moved closer he saw the remains of the foundations and the shell of the house covered in weeds and wild flowers as the spread across the rubble, reclaiming the land for nature and as he moved forwards he saw a small charred signpost to the side of the short drive that twisted through the unkempt flower beds that read 'Griffins Retreat' in rough scrawling script and the moment he laid eyes on the sign Harry broke down in the middle of the street and shed tears unashamedly for the family he had never been aloud to know. He had never cried before, not fully. He had learnt at an early age that it was best top suppress what ever emotion he was feeling and but on a blank look of indifference no matter what he was doing or how bad things had gotten. Though the Dursley's had never physically assaulted Harry to a extreme he had been on the end of Vernon Dursley's belt before after on particular incident that found the garden growing magically for three days before it was cut back and started to grow normally again. Harry had been whipped with the belt and forced to continually cut the garden to stop the neighbours from suspecting Harry's 'Strangeness' however that was usually the worst that he received though he had been threatened with more since he had started Hogwarts and only the thought of a full fledged wizard turning up on their doorstep stopped them from actual physically beating him and snapping his wand. But now, in front of the very building where his parents had been brutally murdered and somehow Voldemort had found his first demise, Harry wept. He wept for his family that he had never met. He wept for Sirius, the only father figure he had ever had. He wept for Cedric, the Hufflepuff that had trusted Harry so much that he had died because of a mistake that should have never of happened. He wept for the Longbottoms, for Neville, who would grow up never hearing he parents voices of fell their loving embraces but be able to visit them day after day and still never be recognised and lastly. He wept for every nameless and faceless individual and their families who had ever had the misfortune to have to find lose at the hands of Voldemort or his Death eaters. For a full Half and hour he aloud the grief and the anguish to roll out of him and for the first time in sixteen years he felt truly free. Not free from Voldemort or free from Dumbledore and his responsibility to the world but free from his pain and sorrow and guilt over all those who had died because he wasn't strong enough to take down Voldemort before there lives had been ruined.

Finally Harry picked himself up from in front of the wall around Griffin's Retreat and prised the gate open with a loud creek and for the first time since he was a year old he stepped onto the property that held so many and yet so few memories. Slowly he made his way through the tangled mess that comprised the drive way and as he stared into the overgrown flowerbeds he imagined his mum weeding the garden whilst he sat in a small chair watching and imagined what it might be like to have grown up in a place like this full of love and warmth. But even as those thoughts crossed his mind the image of his mum changed to that of Mrs Weasley chasing around after all her children and how she had always made him feel part of the family and always made it known that their home was his home as long as he wanted it that way. He found himself thinking how lucky he was to have come from the Dursley's where he wasn't loved and wasn't appreciated into a family that treated him as a brother, a son and as he sat on a rotting bench he broke down once more for the family he loved but had endangered through his very existence. He cared more for the Weasley's than his own life and would do anything to make sure they were safe and if that meant he had to live on his own then so be it.

Three hours later he had sifted through the rubble, choking up when he caught glimpses of the wall paper poking through the blacked rubble and cradled slowly the ash coated mobile that comprised Snitches, Bludgers, Quaffles and Broomsticks in a delicate gold colour. He slowly made his way to the back garden and admired the size and what must have been originally beautiful flowerbeds as well as an orchard. However the biggest surprise came as he approached the rear of the garden and saw a small marble headstone that simply said 'The Potters. Loyal to a fault.' As he ran a finger across the engraved lettering he felt a sort tug behind his navel and was suddenly whisked through the air before landing with a thud on some ground in a light and airy patch of grass. However the moment he looked up caused him to snatch at his wand and spin around whilst forcing himself to repress the memories that were bubbling viciously top the surface. He found himself in a quite graveyard full of simple yet beautiful headstones with the occasional larger memorial. However as the names on the stones slowly filtered into his brain he gradually eased the tensed muscles in his arms and forced them to lower the wand though keeping it ready just in case. He laughed as he thought how proud Mad-eye would be as he had remembered his motto 'Constant vigilance' and the sound echoed morbidly across the quite plot causing him to stop suddenly.

In front of Harry was a sight the caused Harry's eyes to prickle all over again with unshed tears as he read the simple words that were engraved into the double white marble headstone not more than two meters from where he stood on shaky legs:

Under a small carving of a stag tossing back its antlers in a majestic pose were the words

'James H Potter 1947 – 1980 – Loving Husband and Dedicated Father. May he find rest in the world beyond.'

'Lilly V Potter 1947 – 1980 – Loving Wife and Protective Mother. May her love never cease to embolden the world.'

And above this was a small carving of a delicate lily in bloom. Harry cried openly for the third time that day.

"Mum, Dad. Why us. I try so hard to go on but it gets worse every day. How am I supposed to beat the darkest wizard ever when even Dumbledore and the order can't? I'm only a kid," that was all he could say before grief to him away. A grief that only increased when he saw a small statue of a dog standing beside it.

"I'm sorry Sirius. It was my entire fault. If only I had listened to Hermione or used the stupid mirror none of this would have happened and you would still be here. Please forgive me and take care of Mum and Dad for me." Finally he wiped his eyes on a sleeve and began to take in the multitude of graves that were arranged neatly from one wall in the far-left corner right to where Sirius' memorial was placed next to the headstones of his parents. However soon his eyes weren't focused on the graves or indeed even in the graveyard, but on the large whit house that stood at the top of the hill over looking the sight. He picked himself up and with a whispered goodbye made his way past the two Griffin statues that flanked the gate and up a small unused track that ran up to the house and around to the front. He slowly walked up to the front porch where a much-weathered swinging chair rocked slowly in the light breeze that blew around the building. He stepped tentatively up to the front door and lifted a shaking hand to the doorknob.

An: HA – Evil or what. Sorry for leaving it like that but what can I say, it's a great place to stop. Please place all your reviews (Good or bad) as they only help to improve the story. Thanks everyone. Also as some of you can tell my spelling and grammer is terrible so if anyone is better than me and would like to do some Betaing then drop me a line – Thanks


	5. Alieno Abnotitia

A/N – Hi everyone and thanks to everyone that reviewed it means so much to me. I am sorry that this chapter took so long but I rewrote it several times. I hope you enjoy it.   
Chapter 5 – The Alieno Abnotitia 

Nothing. The door refused to open no matter what Harry tried. He was just about to give up when he noticed that the door had a faint blue glow about it if he looked at it out of the corner of his eye and he assumed that there was some kind of locking spell on the door, though what spell the creator had used eluded Harry as he had never seen a locking spell that left a glow about the door. However he realised that without his wand, or even with it, there was no chance he was going to get in the house. So he slowly made his way back to the graveyard that contained the portkey point.

It was only when he reached a small summer house at the back of the main building that he realised how late it was and how long he had spent both at Griffins retreat and here, where ever here was. For the sun was already beginning to set even though he had left early that morning. This put him in yet another pickle and made Harry wish once again that he could just be normal and not be faced with situations such as these. He could portkey back to the ruins of his parents hideout and begin his flight back to Diagon alley. Or he could find somewhere to spend the night and begin his trip again. He main worry was that if he had been recognised at the House elf's Head then the Order or worse the Ministry could be there waiting to pick him up when he returned. With this in mind he decided that it would be best to find a sheltered spot here where he knew the Ministry or the Order wouldn't find him and try and get to Diagon alley tomorrow so that he could arrive in the late evening when there would be few customers there to spot him. Having decided that he would need to find somewhere to rest out of the elements he grabbed his trunk from where he had left it by the door and moved to try the door on the summerhouse, though with little hope. However his luck seemed to be with him today as with a sharp twist of the lion headed door knob the door opened in wards revealing a small room lit gently by the late evening summer sun. The room was painted in a mellow yellow colour that for some reason reminded Harry of Ginny. There was a small couch and a swinging love seat as well as a few potted plants dotted around the room to brighten it up.

The young bespeckled man closed the door with a click and set he trunk down against it before throwing himself down onto the couch and promptly fell asleep.

Green. Fields as far as he could see. From left to right and all around. He appeared to be in the middle of nowhere.

'Hello. Is there anyone here.'

When he got no response he picked a random direction and set off at a brisk pace. Somewhere in the back of his mind registered that this place wasn't real and was really a dreamscape but unlike his usual dreams it didn't seem to matter that he was having a dream. So he kept walking. And walking. And walking. Until eventually in the middle distance nestled between two hills, that had previously hidden it from view was a small castle that seemed to erupt from the gap in the hills and looked as if it had formed as naturally as any rock or ravine. Never once did Harry question the reason he was in this place. The small voice in the back of his head that had registered that this was a dream world seemed to also realise that he was meant to be here at this time. That there was something of vital importance he had to see or learn and it was this that kept Harry walking towards the castle.

For the second time that summer Harry caught a glimpse of the ancient man with long flowing white beard and robes that seemed to radiate power and assurance in a way that he had only seen Dumbledore do. However the moment Harry seemed to lock onto the man then he would disappear only to reappear further away nearer the now looming yet not oppressive sight of the granite grey castle. The castle itself, Harry could now see, seemed to be made like Hogwarts of one solid piece of granite and visible radiated power in the form of a faint throbbing green glow that pulsed to the beat of some hidden power like blood from the beat of the heart. The castle sported very few towers and buttresses compared to Hogwarts, obviously it wasn't supposed to support more than a few people. Nor was it's design akin to the muggle fortress's built for defence. It was obviously designed with the sole purpose of providing a comfortable yet practical habitation for a Wizarding family, though one that should have long since passed judging by the architecture of the building. As Harry approached the entranceway he had expected a drawbridge or monstrous oak doors studded with iron. Instead what greeted him was a small carved oak door depicting a Griffin and Unicorn one on the left half and one on the right there tails intertwining and having been created in iron to form the knocker. He also noticed that the old man had now completely disappeared. Therefore Harry grasped the metal knocker and knocked it against the door.

Silence greeted his effort but the door slowly creaked open and the torch light beyond beckoned him forward into the vast entrance way that would have easily rivalled that of Hogwarts. Whilst the out side hadn't looked that impressive the owners of the building sure liked to give a good impression when one entered the castle. The walls were decorated with rich yet tasteful tapestries depicting brave wizards fighting dragons and fight scenes of muggle knights fighting side by side with wizards of the chivalric period. The sight that beheld him amazed Harry. And it took a while for him to register that someone was calling his name silently. Urging him deeper into the castle. Again the voice in his mind assuring him that he was in a place of safety. How he knew that he wouldn't be harmed he didn't know but he did and so he slowly followed the voice down several corridors all lined with suits of armour from all over the word and from several periods in time. He once caught a glimpse of a shadow moving down one of the corridors but as soon as he turned around to get a better look it was gone. All this while the disembodied voice called him forward. It was only now that he registered that there was a faint trill and ululation to what was otherwise a deep and flat rumble it was truly a peculiar sound that for some unknown reason reminded Harry of phoenix song.

Eventually the corridor he was in broke into what appeared to be a vast meeting room that was dominated in the middle by a large rectangular table with rounded edges. The simple splendour of the room was enthralling to someone who had spent ten years of their life in a cupboard under the stairs and it took some time for Harry to realise that he was not the only one in the room, but that at the head of the table sat the ancient wizard with his elbows propped on the table and his fingers steepled under his chin. He was smiling broadly at Harry's mixture of wonder and confusion.

'Ah, Greetings child. Please take a seat.'

When Harry failed to move he promoted him again to take a seat next to him. Eventual Harry found the use of his legs and sat in the cushioned chair two down from the old man, where he could watch everything he did and easily make it to the door. After years of struggle Harry wasn't fooled by age as a sign of weakness and he was going to be ready for it.

'Who are you and what do you want?' Harry demanded forcefully deciding to make a show of confidence he didn't quite feel in this strange place.

'But surly Harry, you must know that...Unless…Wait, who taught you history child?'

'Not that it any of you concern but Professor Binns teaches History of Magic at Hogwarts.'

'Ah' sighed the old an as if he had just be given the answer to a crossword clue that had been eluding him for a while, 'that explains it then. Well then I believe an introduction is in order. I Harry am your great, great, great. Well the list goes on a while but the point is I am one of your ancestors. My name is Merlin, just Merlin.'

'What!' Harry exclaimed almost laughing at the very idea. 'So you're the Merlin. Great magus extrodinaire. Saviour of Briton. Advisor and mentor to King Arthur Pendragon.'

'I see you have heard of me then. Well I suppose I did a few things that might have been seen as special. I did help that young lad with that blasted sword. Took me nigh on two weeks to figure up the binding charm used on the stone. Quite ingenious if I do say so my self.'

'You honestly expect me to believe that one moment I fall asleep and the next I am speaking to Merlin the great, who just happens to be dead I might add. Who then turns around and claims that he is a relative. Come on Voldemort you can do better than this. You might be arrogant but a three year old wouldn't fall for this.'

'Ah, I see you were jesting earlier. No matter for I came prepared for such an occurrence. If you would follow me. You would admit that if this were merely a fantasy realm then it couldn't do any harm to just see what I have to show you.'

With that he rose steadily to his feet and summoned a tall oak staff with a small diamond embedded the top and a metal heel binding the other end. Harry remained undecided momentarily but decided that if Voldemort were dragging him along on some fantasy ride then he would humour him, though keeping his guard up of course. As the walked the old man continued to explain where they were and what it was they were going to see. He explained that the place they were in is located in Southwest Wales and Harry was almost correct in the assumption that they were in a dream world.

'A dream world would however be of no good for the purpose for which you have been called for,' he continued after explaining at length about the events that had occurred leading up to the creation of a completely unrelated tapestry that happened to be hanging on the wall they were passing, 'We needed something a bit more stable in order to perform the transference rite. This place it actually what is known to muggle physicists as a transdimentional space. Basically it's a hole in the fabric of space time, a bubble if you will. Here we are out side of time and space as we no it. While you are here no time will pass in your world and so it is here that we had to bring you. But enough of the boring stuff did you see that magnificent suit of arm…' And so he went on until the reached what Harry felt must have been the very tallest part of the castle and the piece furthest away from where they had been before. He found he was in some sort of meeting chamber. Around half of the room was a semicircular table with seats situated along its back length so that their occupants would all be focused towards the centre of the room. In the centre was a large globe of silver that occasionally would flicker and hum.

'This my boy, is a viewing globe. It will allow you to view what is going on at any time at any part of the world. You have to remember though that time is not moving there unless we let it move a lot faster here. This is the best proof that I can give you that our intentions are not to do you any harm.'

By this time listening to the ramblings of the eccentric old wizard had already convinced him that either that the old geezer was talking the truth or that this was a normal dream, albeit a strange one. He didn't believe that Voldemort had neither the patience nor the tenacity to drag him on such a well though after fantasy. It wasn't his style to elaborate things so much and though he knew that he had messed with his head before, with dire consequences, the feeling he had had then had been entirely different and that spoke volumes to Harry about this situation so he decided for the moment to allow the wizard to have his say and to play along as if this was a real opportunity.

'So you're saying that with this I can see anyone at any time?' Harry asked receiving a curt nod in reply. 'Alright show me,' he thought for a moment and then said, 'Dumbledore.'

What happened next surprised Harry for the large silver sphere gave a large hum and the image of Dumbledore's crooked nose hove into view. Harry gave a light chuckle when the camera, or what ever it was that was relaying the image moved back to reveal that the headmaster was wearing pale blue Pyjama's with small teddy bears printed over them and on the bed side table floating in a small glass was a set of false teeth. The eerie thing about it was that, though Harry watched for a short while, nothing stirred at all in the image. There was neither a rise and fall in Dumbledore's chest nor a sound of birds chirping in the distance. Then the image flickered out.

'He always was a big softie at heart. But honestly teddy bear pyjama's for a man of a hundred and fifty.' He let out a small sigh of exasperation. 'Well then Harry do you believe us now?'

'Well. I know that this isn't the work of Voldemort as he would have never have been able to come up with something that original. So the worst this could be is a regular dream and so there is no harm in listening is there. Though if I might sir. You keep referring to a we but I can only see one of you are there more?'

'Why of course my boy do I look like a need that many chairs. Even you cousin couldn't take up that many chairs,' this response caused Harry to chuckle once more, 'Harry I am the leader of an elite group of old fuddy duddies known as the elected ones. Basically we are responsible for over seeing that the Wizarding world is kept in check. As you can see some things go wrong from time to time and that is where you come in. Let me introduce you to some of the members.'

With that there was a blinding flash and the chairs all filled up with several people all dressed in various Wizarding fashions and all holding a staff made of a type of wood and with a coloured gem in the top. He immediately recognised most of them as being on various Chocolate frog cards.

'I believe you know Godric, Helga, Rowena and Slazar. Though they think the 'Founders' sounds cooler. Something about making them seem important. Any way this is our latest addition Mr and Mrs Flamel, who I believe you know.'

'And might I say thank you for saving that blasted stone. The trouble that thing caused wasn't worth the effort.'

'I hadn't heard that you had died. Though I haven't heard a great deal of anything so that's not a surprise. I am sorry that you had to stop taking the elixir.'

'Nonsense my boy. The time had come and between you and me this is better any way. I can still talk to everyone down there that has the power to receive me, though there are only four people who quailify and only three I would want to. I also get to be part of a group made of the greatest witches and wizards ever known.'

This caused Harry's mind to wander as they bid goodbye to the Flamels and was introduced to the other members of the 'Group'. How had they been chosen for this? Was there some form of selection process? Who were the others that had the 'Power' as Mr Flamel had said? He assumed Dumbledore and Voldemort and now he assumed himself but who was the forth?

'Sir,' He began before Merlin cut him off.

'Please call me Merlin, Harry.'

'Si..Merlin. How did all these people get here? I mean who set up this place?'

'Well Harry that if I do say so myself was one of my better plans. Basically in the Afterworld wizards retain their powers. In fact its pretty similar to Earth but with out the evil dark wizards trying to get you. When I died I met up with the powers who be and arranged to create an elite faction designed solely on aiding people like you. The members of the group were all chosen because of the large amount of power that they wielded and the knowledge they had gained during life. Though now we accept basically anyone who had a Chocolate Frog card, as I believe you had noticed?'

Harry nodded his acceptance before returning his gaze to the other members of the hall. 'So why am I here? What do I have to do?' he said asking the question that had been playing on his mind ever since he had discovered the group that 'Resided' here.

'Have you ever wondered why the Wizarding age of consent is seventeen whilst in the Muggle world it is a year higher? Well that is for the simple reason that in the Wizarding world a wizard's true potential has been reached at that age. Over the next year you will notice that your power increases faster than it would normally for someone of you age. This happens in anyone who had more power than is usual. However if your to fight Voldemort then all the power in the world isn't going to help if you don't know how to use it. We are here to help you gain the knowledge you need in order to use the power that is within you and so that you may use your full potential. You see Harry you will find that the group is split into two sections. One section is made up of the smartest witches and wizards ever to have lived and the second half is made up of people like you and me. Those with the power to use this knowledge for you see one is useless with out the other. You my dear boy are here for the Alieno Ritus.'

'The what?' Harry asked stupidly staring at the venerable wizard after the reams of information that he had received.

'In layman's term Harry we give you all our knowledge, not our experiences but our learned abilities. From Animagi transformations to language. Now there is little time to waste as though time doesn't pass here you will still feel the loss when you awaken.'

'Right,' said Harry determinedly as he finally understood the implications of what this group was offering, 'What do I have to do?'

'Just stand under the large silver globe and we'll do the rest.'

Whilst he said this, the group had spread themselves around the room in a large circle and Merlin swiftly entered into the remaining gap whilst banishing the table with a wave of his hand. As he began to chant Harry was forcibly reminded of the time of Voldemort's rebirth but he had little time to dwell on that before he felt a growing pressure in the back of his mind and with a burst of white light he blacked out.

A/N – There you go Chapter 5. I know it was one of those classic chapters that you read in every chapter but I think its better than Harry being able to read years worth of books in half a holiday. I also had to have Harry worry about Voldemort because so often you see him get transported places and he just accepts what he sees. Any way I hope you liked it and just to let you know that I have already started Chapter 6.

Keep Reviewing.


	6. Shopping

A/N – Told this chapter wouldn't be long in the pipe. Well here it is the boring chapter. I promise that the following ones will be more interesting.

Chapter 6 – Shopping for one.

Harry awoke with a start and automatically reached for his wand, which was still in his pocket from last night. However when he discovered the room was empty he began to slowly remembered what had happened over the course of the past days. He had run from the Burrow after discovering Dumbledore plans and had ended up in Godrics Hollow on his way to Diagon Alley and was now in the summerhouse of what appeared to be the Potters Mansion. After all that, he remembered the events of last night and what Merlin had told him was going to happen, and it was only now that he realised that that wasn't the first time that he had seen Merlin in his dreams. His scar however wasn't hurting and so he was quite sure that the dream hadn't been Voldemort induced. But that left only two options. It really was true or it was an average dream. He certainly didn't feel any different. Merlin had said that he would receive the knowledge of the Elected Ones but he didn't seem to have anything in his head that he shouldn't so he assumed that it had been all a strange dream.

Is that really what you think Harry-

Harry jumped about three feet into the air and whirled around with his wand outstretched. 'Who's there? Show your self.' When he received no answer he crept forward and began to search the area. 'Is there anyone here?'

Well not exactly Harry. We are in your head-

'Great first weird dreams and now I start hearing voices, perhaps Fudge was right I am unstable.'

Your not going mad my boy. We are merely here to help you get to grips with this new knowledge. -

'Merlin? Is that you?' Harry asked still not releasing his hold on his wand.

Ah. Knew you'd get there eventually. Now how do you feel? -

'Not that different actually though I've got the beginnings of a royal headache,' he finished.

To be expected my boy. Now the knowledge is there but because you haven't learned it in the normal way so your brain hasn't created the synapses that are necessary to access the information. That means that you will have to think strongly about anything you want and after a bit it should start to come naturally though you might find that in some cases some of the knowledge may come instinctively and you will act without knowing. Now I believe that first you should get some money at that new bank place…Gringotts I believe they call it. Don't know what the problem with Frankans was but that's beside he point. Time indeed changes much like this great language; it used to be so poetic. Right get to it and I'll come back later. - With that Harry felt the pressure in his head ease slightly and he realised that Merlin was right he needed to get to Diagon Alley.

He gathered his belongings from where he had dumped them by the door and after a quick search of the place discovered some drink and some bread in a cooler in the back room. After the meagre meal he attached the levitating trunk to him and set of for the small graveyard at the bottom of the site. He approached silently and approached his parent's grave whispering a promise to return he touched the portkey stone and with the familiar tug behind his navel he was unceremoniously deposited in the rubble of Gryffins retreat.

Half an hour later found Harry under his invisibility cloak standing in front of the fire in the Leaky Cauldron having just flooed from the House Elf Head. He silently creapt through the crowd of patrons that were craning their necks to try and find who had flooed and he managed to make it through to the courtyard out at the back of the dingy pub. Reaching for his wand he looked around before drawing it and tapping the bricks to open the archway to Diagon Alley. As the arch grew he stepped through and was immediately was socked by the shear lack people bustling about the Alley. He had only been in the secret Wizards area once before the last week of the holidays and even then it was always full of people going about their dayly business now it was empty of almost everyone. He knew that it was still early and that might explain the lack of people but secretly he suspected that people were just too scared to do there shopping now that Voldemort was 'Officially' back. It really did amaze Harry just how much sway the Ministry held over the views of the public after all Harry had been saying that Voldemort was back for over a year now and just because the Ministry denied it then people just continued on there business as if everything was fine with the world.

Harry sighed with frustration but hurried of towards Gringotts making sure that his floating trunk didn't bump into any of the few patrons hurriedly scurrying from shop to shop with a look that said that they though Voldemort and his Death Eaters might attack at any minute. Suddenly he rounded the last corner of the long street and was confronted by the magnificent marble fronted bank with its elegant classical columns and as he passed by the front door he pulled the cloak into a position that would allow himself to reveal his face to anyone that he should choose. With that down he headed over to the far side of the bank and was now thankful that there were few people in Diagon Alley as it meant there was nobody in the bank except the goblins. So with one last look around him he approached the desk and removed the hood of his cloak and said, 'Er Hi, is it possible to talk on a private room please.'

'Certainly Mr Potter, right this was,' the goblin replied whilst dropping from his stool and leading Harry into a back room where he closed and locked the door with a clap of he long fingered hands. 'Now what was it that you were requiring.

Suddenly Harry felt as if some other part of his brain had taken over as he purposefully bowed into a low stoop and performed a strange gesture with his hands. What surprised Harry more was that the Goblins eye's lit up with surprise at the gesture and immediately dashed through another door only to return moments later with an elderly looking goblin. Harry almost reflexively performed the manoeuvre to the new goblin, only for a look of surprise to stretch across the taught green skin.

'How is it possible that a wizard would use our customs. They haven't been seen used for over a hundred years. Well not correctly anyway,' spoke the younger goblin that Harry had first met.

'Truly, this one is special as the fates have foretold,' replied the wizened goblin, causing Harry to roll his eyes in frustration. He just couldn't get away from the damn prophecy, 'and you say that he spoke our language as well, I was unaware that any child could speak Gobbledegook.'

'Um excuse me but about my money. I don't mean to be rude but I am in quite a hurry, also what did you mean, I don't speak Gobbledegook?' interrupted Harry with a puzzled expression. For some reason the goblins were acting as if he had done some thing quite out of the ordinary and aside from the strange bow and hand Florish he had acted just as he did everytime he had come to the Wizarding bank, if one discounted the fact that he had been invisible and had requested a private audience.

The Goblins turned there large eyes on the raven haired youth and the older of the two spoke but not before performing the strange ritual that Harry had so strangely performed upon entrance. 'Mr Potter you do us a great honour of learning the ancient customs of the Green skinned ones. Many Wizards come and go through this great establishment and none have ever taken the time to learn of our customs, not for over a Hundred years has a wizard performed the greeting rite correctly and none that have done it since the founders has been such a wealthy patron. As to your second question I would have to disagree as we are both speaking in Gobbledegook at this current moment in time. Now I believe you had some business with the bank and I will not press you any further on previous matters, but know this, you will hold the respect of the goblins where ever your travels shall take you.' With that and another strange gesture, which Harry instinctively returned, the older goblin left.

Well that was strange thought Harry as the goblin exited. 'Umm…I really came to withdraw some money from my account, I have my key,' Harry told the remaining Goblin.

'As you wish Mr Potter I will have someone bring you down to your vault.' With a short clap another goblin appeared at the shoulder of the first and asked, 'Is he the one. The one that is talk of the Dowren.'

'Indeed he is and he wishes to withdraw. Show him to his _Vault_.' Harry could have sworn that there was a deeper meaning hidden in that simple message before he was led of by what Harry thought was a very familiar Goblin. Then it hit him, 'Griphook, it great to see you again,' Harry exclaimed as he recognised the goblin that had taken him on his first trip to the vault where his money was stored.

'Mr Potter this is most unusual. In all my time here I have never had a Wizard recognise me on a second trip or show any affiliation towards any Goblin. When I had heard from the elder that you new of the customs I was wane to believe that your ignorant race would ever but here is was the indeniable truth.'

'Why are my actions such a surprise. I don't seemed to have done anything strange only be polite as I understand it.' By now Harry had begun to suspect that the knowledge he had gained was what was instinctively leading him and he had accepted that he was now fully aware of the goblins customs and language. It truly was a strange feeling to know something and not know remember how.

'The surprise, Mr Potter is that wizards never bother with our customs, that is the main reason behind the last goblin rebellions, in that they were mainly misunderstandings between that cultures. Since then the Goblins have had to take the fore front in learning Human ways as they were wane to learn ours. It is truly an honour to meet someone who is not blinded by the ways of his fellows. Now if you would step this was we will travel to your vault.' With that he led a surprised and confused Harry away from the tracks and towards a small circle in the floor that was hidden towards the back of the impressive building and before Harry could even quiz this action he found himself outside a large set of doors.

'Err…Griphook. What just happened and where are we?'

'Mr Potter we just travelled via rings to your vault. You see the tracks were only there for the wizards in order to present a secure front. However the Elders decided that due to your knowledge of our customs that it would be fitting that you should travel like the rest of the goblins to your vault.'

'Right. But this isn't my vault the door is far to large and ornate for it to be my vault.'

'This is not the vault to which you have frequented in the past but your family vault. This,' he said with a Florish as he ran a finger down a crack in the door and pulled it open, ' is the Potter family vault. Number 002.'

'You mean to tell me that I had two vaults and no-one saw fit to tell me.'

'Actually with the acquisition of the Black vault you now own three vaults with a gross liquid asset of well in excess of 4 million galleons. Not to mention the land ownership with a total of 1.5 million galleons and material possessions with a total sum of 2.3 million. As the last member to the oldest Wizarding family still in existence and as heir to the Black family wealth minus that of the other remaining family members you Mr Potter are the wealthiest man in Britain at this current moment in time. As to why you were not told. You didn't ask,' the goblin ended with coy smile that Harry had never seen on any of the other goblin's faces. They had always been devoid of expression and emotion.

With that Harry entered through the vast double doors that led into his vault and almost fainted at the sight. He definitely shouldn't bring the Weasley's here. Mounds upon mounds of gold lay piled across the room like some vast golden mountain range. On one side sat piles of paintings covered in tarpaulins along with a few other scattered pieces of furniture and all along the back wall were a large series of trunks that appeared, when Harry viewed them, to hold jewellery and the like. 'Er Griphook.'

'Yes Mr Potter.'

'Is it possible to get an inventory of what is here and any magical properties they might have?'

'Certainly,' and with a flick of his wrist a large book appeared out of thin air and he handed it to Harry.

Slowly Harry creaked it open and read the first page, which seemed to state what Griphook had earlier about the total sum of money in the Vaults and that Harry owned tied up in Buildings. The next pages were mostly taken up by the furniture and the paintings which were of Harry's lesser family and as such hadn't found a spot in what the book refereed to as Griffin Manor. It was the next few pages that caught Harry's eye as they listed the various properties he had inherited amongst them he saw the large house he had just come from which appeared to be Griffin Manor, the plot where Griffins Retreat had stood and also Grimmauld place. The sight of the house where Sirius had lived caused him to tense in guilt over the fact that he now owned the house but he relaxed as he realised that it was what Sirius would have wanted. The housing list also listed the current location of all known keys to all the properties as well as an extensive list of wards and protections. It even listed the Fidelious charm as being on Grimmauld place so Harry assumed that the list updated its self as new things occurred. So it was that Harry discovered that the reason he hadn't been able to enter the building was because the key was in chest number 57b.

With the book now tucked under his arm he headed for the back of the vault where the large trunks were stacked and searched until he found the correct trunk. Lifting the lid he was surprised to see that it was empty except for the key he had been searching for, however as he thought that the trunk should have had more items in it then the trunk did have more items in it and the key became buried under a pile of jewels and heirlooms. Harry immediately started digging through the rainbow of colours with the thought of getting the Griffin Manor key out and almost fell over when the trunk emptied to reveal only the key, it appeared that the trunks responded to the thoughts of the searcher. With that in mind he grabbed the key and went to open the book to look for it in the inventory and was now only mildly surprised to note that the key was on the front page, it would seem that the book had the same charm as the trunks. He slowly read the short description of the key and found that the only magical property was a permanent portkey to the Manor and back that was activated by the bearer holding the key and speaking the words 'Griffin Manor'.

Harry thought up a few more useful items from the vaults magical trunks, including a set of black battle robes embossed with the Potter crest of a Griffin holding a wand with sparks coming out of the end. He also picked up a couple of some of the more interesting defence and charms books that he thought might help him dredge up the new knowledge that he had gained. However when it came to getting some money he realised that he really didn't want to carry around that much gold. After all he intended to do some serious shopping.

'Erm Mr Griphook is there anyway that I can spend money without having to keep coming here to top up.'

'Certainly. I assume from you past you know what a credit card is,' with a nod from Harry he continued,' well we here offer a card that can be used in both the Muggle and Magical world and will give access to you monies at any time.' With that he handed Harry a small rectangle of plastic that had a small chip on one side along with his name and bank details.'

'Thanks. I think I'm done here now.'

'Okay Mr Potter if you would just like to step into the circle outside the door and we will return to the lobby.'

With that they found themselves in the lobby with Harry clutching the few items he had removed from his vault. 'Thank you Griphook,' said Harry performing the complicated farewell gesture before hitching the Invisibility cloak around him and his trunk, which was becoming more and more annoying. Making a quick decision he grabbed his key and portkeyed to the Manor and left his trunk on the porch before portkeying straight back to the original point of departure in the lobby of Gringotts. With the trunk and items out of the way he found that moving about was much easier and he had to worry less about hitting anyone. His first stop was to Madam Maulkins Robes for all occasions where he crept in. Again he found that the shop was empty. Lowering the cloak he walked to the back of the shop where he found Madam Maulkin and here assistance relaxing with a flagon of Pumpkin juice and were reading a copy of Witch Weekly from the waiting area.

'Excuse me,' spoke Harry worried about there reaction to him. He was sure that word would have got out that he had run off and was being looked for but he hoped that the searching would have been kept within the order, 'Is it possible to get some robes please.'

'Why Mr Potter. What a pleasure. Of course you can get some robes, now just stand there and lets get you measured. It sure is nice to actually have a customer. Normally this time of year is the busiest and yet we have had two customers in the past week. People are just owling orders now. What with the Ministry leaflets and the attacks no-ones going shopping. In fact you of all people I would have expected to have stayed inside. I mean your stories no secret. Well anyway what robes are we looking for then Mr Potter?

'Well I need a whole new set of school robes and I would also like a set of dress robes as well.'

'Well that shouldn't be a problem.' With that she left through a door out back leaving Harry to sit in the waiting room until she returned which she did promptly fifteen minutes later with a handful of packages. As Harry left the store he once again portkeyed to the Manor and left the parcels with his trunk wishes again that he was of age and could just shrink them, he supposed he would ask Merlin if there was a way around the decree after all if he was going to practise as Merlin had suggested then he would need to be able to do magic without being caught.

Two hours later found Harry outside Potter Manor with a new compartmentalised trunk at his feet, a new stock of potions ingredients and a new pair of Wizarding glasses that had made him glad, for the first time, that he was famous. He had arrived at the end of Diagon Alley and had spotted a small shop he hadn't noticed before that seemed to be an opticians, when he had entered he had begun to look around the small store at the neatly arranged glassed and monocle when he had been approached by a kindly witch in her middle ages.

'Hello dear, how can I help you.'

'Hi I think I need a new prescription as I haven't had one in over 10 years.'

'In that case please step this way,' and with that she led him to a seat at the rear of the store where she sat him down and asked him to remove his glasses. Unfortunately in doing so he brushed aside his scar and she must have caught a glimpse of his scar as she suddenly jump with excitement and squealed, 'By Merlin, You're THE Harry Potter.'

'Er yes. Can we get this done please,' He had replied rather irritatedly.

It turned out that that had been lucky as when she had performed her analysis she had shown him to a set of glasses that were locked in a draw and he had been told that they were normally saved for top Aurors and the like but as she knew his story she thought he might be in need of the aid. In the draw where an array of seeing implements including glassed and eyes like that which Moody wore. The glasses apparently had X-ray capability as well as thermal imaging and night vision that were activated via three small buttons on the side. It appeared that they could also be activated mentally once the owner got used to them and could be activated simultaneously to aid the wearer. Harry had taken a pair immediately and handed over his new card before leaving for Potter Manor.

Once there he had left his stuff with everything else on the porch having determined that he wouldn't enter until he had completed his shopping trip. So he arrived back in Diagon Alley and swiftly left through the Leaky Cauldron into Muggle London. Stepping into an Alley he removed his cloak and folded it into his jacket pocket which due to it having belong to Dudley was huge. He had decided that he wouldn't venture to far from the dingy Wizarding pub just in case. He knew that he had the portkey but he preferred to have alternate exits, though it wasn't till later that he realised that this line of thinking was probably coming from his new knowledge.

He first entered a small shop in the same street as the pub and bought several pairs of jeans and casual trousers as well as several T-shirt. After remembering Merlin's words earlier about training he also bought two tracksuits and work outfits in case there was any physical training involved. He left the first shop with several bags in his hands and suddenly realised that he would have to finish his shopping in muggle London as jumping to and fro might draw some attention. Therefore several hours later and with his vault now emptied of a few hundred Galleons he arrived, exhausted on the porch of his new home with a complete new Muggle and Wizarding wardrobe. Dumping the lot including his old trunk into his new one he reached into his pocket and withdrew his key and placed it in the lock of the front door. With a smart twist he opened the door and dragged his trunk into the entrance before turning back to close the front door where he got the surprise of his life.

A/N – Thanks again for all the reviews that I received. The next chapter should be up by next Monday (England time) so I hope you look forward to it. As always read and review.


	7. The Colour of Magic

A/N – Hi everyone. Sorry for the slight delay in the posting of this chapter but it was quite a difficult one to do (I still don't like it completely). I apologise for all spelling and grammar mistakes. If anyone is interested in a beta job then E-mail me at Thanks 

Chapter 7 – The colour of magic. 

Green. Blinding, filling. It was everywhere outside the house. As Harry watched it pulsed slowly. Whirling and milling swirled with blue around in a dome that appeared to encase the house snugly. To say Harry was shocked was an understatement. He had never before seen magic of this magnitude even when he witnessed the duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore. It was a dance of colour as the pattern continued in its choreographed movements. 'Wow,' breathed Harry as the thoughts that he had held upon entry vanished. He just stood enraptured by the spells that where covering the house.

It was only after a few minutes that his brain began to click into gear. As it did so it began to register the fact that he hadn't seen the dome upon his arrival at the house and in fact he had never seen anything of this kind even around Hogwarts. It was then that he noticed the faint pressure in the back of his head and sure enough,

Beautiful, isn't it? That Harry is pure magic. You will notice as your powers grow that you will begin to see the residue of magic that is left on people. The colour of magic as its known. Now I'm not talking about the colours that come out of the end of your wand, there just built into the spell to make them easier to aim. No, I'm talking about the colour of the raw magic as it is in effect. You will begin to notice that some areas take on four different colours according to the type of spell that has been cast. First as you can see, Protection spell such as _Protego_ and the other spells you will become familiar with are green in colour, this includes protection laid on an item. So for example you will be able to see items under the Fidelis, as they will appear as a green mist where an object should be. Now the next type of spell is attack. This will appear as a red colour and again wounds caused by these types will have a red glow to them so you will know what caused them. The Third type is only seen on transfigured items though it only shows that and item has been transfigured. It won't tell you what from. Lastly and the most common of all is the colour blue which represents the magic of charms that don't fit into the other three categories. Got it-

'Er I think so. Red – Attack, Yellow – Tranfiguration, Blue – Charms and Green – Protection spells,' replied Harry as he ran the information through his brain.

Now that I've got you started can you tell me the difficulties with this, - spoke Merlin.

'How can I know what to answer. I've never heard of this before.'

Think my boy. Concentrate on the knowledge you have and your mind should automatically give you the bit you need. –

So Harry closed his eyes and concentrated hard on what Merlin had just told him about the colour of magic and suddenly as if a switch had just clicked on in the back of his mind he knew the answer, it was so simple now he had the knowledge. 'The problem is that the colour responds to the users intent. So like normally the levitation spell is blue but if the user is using it to levitate someone of a tall building then it would appear blue with a mix of red. Or if someone transfigured something into a shield it would be yellow with a hint of green,' Thought Harry amazed as the new knowledge on the Colour of magic began to flood his mind. Hermione really was going to be annoyed that he had learnt more than she ever would without opening a single book.

Very good. I hadn't expected you to get it so quickly. You training will indeed be swift. Now then, your training will start at six o'clock sharp so if I was you I would have a look around then head off to bed. -

So that's what Harry did for the next two hours. He started on the ground floor and discovered that off to the right of the entrance hall was a lounge/reception area that joined on to the dinning room the ran down the west side of the building and had a separate door to the kitchen that took up the north west corner of the ground floor. To the left and consequently east of the entrance hall was the library, which contained row upon row of books all leather bound. It contained several small round tables made of mahogany and the only other door in the room was to a small study that only contained a few empty shelves and a walnut writing desk. But Harry largely ignored these rooms. In fact he largely ignored the ground floor entirely except for a room that was accessed by some steps leading down below the entrance hall. When he had opened the door at the base of the steps he stood shocked for the second time that day. The room was plain stone and the walls shimmered in a faint green. In the centre of the room was a raised platform and lining the walls were a series of mannequins in all shapes and sizes that were obviously meant as sparring partners. But even this room Harry largely ignored, felling that he would be spending far too much of his time there any way. Instead Harry dragged his stuff up the stairs and towards the large double doors off to the left that turned out to be the master bedroom. In it the largest four poster that he had ever seen was pushed up against the rear wall so the it pointed out into the centre of the room and therefore dominated a large area of the space. The bed was hung with rich red drapes and had a think soft duvet. The only other furniture in the room was a large vanity mirror on a chest of drawers and a couple of bedside tables. Harry was so exhausted from his shopping and the meeting with the wizards the previous evening that he failed to notice the large folding doors that led to a walk in wardrobe and a second door that led to the bathroom. Instead he lay fully clothed on the bed an fell in to a deep and mercifully dreamless sleep.

In the morning Merlin playing a very loud ringing inside Harry's mind rudely awakened him. 'Alright I'm up already, gees it's only four thirty'

Yes and if you don't hurry you'll be late to your first training session. So have a shower and get into the library-

'Yes sir,' replied Harry before he hurried to have a shower in his new bathroom.

Twenty-five minutes latter found Harry sitting in the library waiting for Merlin to finish with giving Harry a run down of his training schedule and start teaching him.

Now Harry, - continued Merlin –Once you have unlocked the knowledge in your head, the training will be largely up to you, especially when you return to the Wizarding world. You will mainly need to train physically and use the knowledge constantly for the first few months, perhaps teach your friends some of it to keep it fresh. But you will mainly need to practise endurance and such. The knowledge for which is in your head. -

'You keep telling me that the knowledge is there but so far I have only been able to access it subconsciously or through a great deal of effort. How do I get it such that it is easily accessible,' spoke up Harry irritated by the long-winded explanations.

Ahh, cutting to the chase I see. Very well, close your eyes and like yesterday think of what you want. This time though don't think specifically of a particular thing like you were when I gave my explanation earlier about the colour of magic. Think only of the fact that you want all the knowledge on a broader subject such as Tranfiguration etc. Avoid trying to get too much at once or you'll black out and we don't have the time for that. - With that Harry began to meditate on what Merlin had just told him. He thought deeply on gaining all the knowledge on Tranfiguration he could, willing it to come to him with every fibre of his being. After about twenty minutes of fruitless effort Harry was just about to give up and was preparing to voice his opinion to Merlin when suddenly he brain was flooded with information to topics Harry had no memory of ever having read or in some cases even heard about. The one that excited him the most though was the knowledge of the Animagus transfer and he wanted that to be his first line of business once he had unlocked all of the knowledge.

Several hours latter and exhausted Harry collapsed onto one of the soft chairs in the living room. Harry was however incredibly pleased that he had managed to unlock all of the information he had gained in the transfer and though he was exhausted he was keen to put the new information to the test. He had memories of various strategies from single duels to multiple combat. He knew every stealth technique available as well as several new stunning spells that he knew no longer existed in his time. It truly was an invigorating felling that he was perhaps the only living person to posses some of this knowledge. He was now well and truly worn out with the exertion he had to extend to unlock all of the new information. So he sat in the living room and watched the T.V he had surprisingly found there. Most Wizarding homes didn't have electricity let alone any muggle appliances, though Harry supposed that his mother's own background had had an influence in the items of the home and in such the use of electricity in stead of gas and magic.

Tap, Tap, Tap. 'One minute Aunt Petinia.' However the tapping continued and Harry awoke and suddenly remembered that he was no longer staying at the Dursley's but at Potter Manor so he looked around the room for the source of the tapping and found that there was a disgruntled looking snowy owl perched on the window sill. Hurrying over he threw the window open and allowed the bird entrance. 'Hedwig. It's so good to see you,' exclaimed Harry, though in truth he had shamefully forgotten the fact that he had left he at the Burrow what with all the excitement. 'I'm sorry I left so suddenly but I was really angry and needed some space. Can you forgive me girl.' Hedwig gave him a clearly exasperated look but nibbled his ear affectionately any way. 'Thanks..' but he stopped when he caught sight if the smouldering envelope the was tied to Hewig's leg. With much trepidation he removed the letter using as much care as if the thing was about to explode. However the Howler wasn't set of because in the knowledge he had gained he had learnt the counter charm to the Howler and as such had rendered the item as regular as and everyday letter. Opening the red envelope carefully, just in case, he pulled the parchment from with in and read the scathing report:

Harry James Potter. How could you? Mums worried sick when you pulled that disappearing stunt and all you left was some cryptic note about needing some space and about people always interfering. To top it all off you lied to me. You said you were just stretching you legs. Well if you don't get back here soon with a good enough response then I will stretch them so far you'll be twice the height of Ron. Now get your sorry arse back here now.

Love Ginny.

Harry just stood there. They had barely talked in five years and here she was venting her spleen at him. Boy she had guts and admired her for that at least. He felt if anyone else had sent him the Howler then he would have ripped it up and thrown it away. But now he just sat and contemplated Ginny's words. Something in the letter made him stop and think for a moment with out immediately over reacting with anger. He re read the letter before putting it down on the small coffee table and trundling upstairs to get washed and changed. She was right and he thought that he should visit the Burrow and apologise in person. As such he felt he should be properly attired. He also made a quick check to see if there were enough rooms to house the Weasleys and discovered the there was room for everyone to have their own room, including Hermione, and also a few rooms to spare for any extra visitors. With that he apperated neatly into the front yard of the Weasley's. Felling again that this new knowledge really was a blessing.

As Harry slowly trudged towards the front door of the Burrow he contemplated what he was actually going to say now that he was he here. Now that he thought of it the letter had been incredibly vague about where he was going or why. Except that he needed some breathing room and would eventually go to Diagon Alley. So he understood why the Weasley's might be upset, after all he had taken quite sometime to get to Diagon Alley and so he could imagine the conclusions that they might have drawn. He may have been temporally angered at Dumbledore's idea but that was no excuse to worry the Weasley's and he felt he should say as much.

He found his thoughts drifting towards the feisty red head that had sent him the Howler and how she had changed so much since he had first seen her. Five years ago she would have never dared to have sent him the letter, but over the years she had grown out of her infatuation and shyness and had shown her true colours. In some ways this had disappointed Harry, though he had never said as much. He had always liked the fact that no matter what anyone else felt or said there was always someone who would constantly believe in him and admire him, sometimes he wished that she could have held on to those feelings. Over the few days he had spent at the Burrow his feelings for the youngest Weasley had definitely beginning to creep past what he knew was acceptable for friends and he knew that unlike with Cho it wasn't just about looks. In fact if he was truly honest that was one of the lesser reasons for having left the Burrow. He just hadn't been ready to face those kind of feelings at the time. What really had scared Harry though had been the speed at which these feelings had crept up on him.

So it was that a nervous Harry knocked on the wooden front door at the home of the object of his new found desires.

'Oh Harry. I'm so glad you're here, we've all been so worried. Come in,' said Mrs Weasley the moment she opened the door before wrapping him in a massive hug that made him instantly aware that she didn't begrudge his need for space only his means of acquiring it. She ushered him hastily into the living room before disappearing to make some tea. It appeared that Ron and the twins were at the shop already and that Ginny was upstairs. However she had obviously heard the door because no sooner had Mrs Weasley disappeared than she appeared in the door with her arms akimbo. 'WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE PLAYING AT, DISAPPEARING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH HARDLY ANY EXPLANATION AS TO YOUR ACTION…'

However she never finished her rant as Harry, seeing no means of escape or any way to get a word in, did the only thing his teenage hormone influenced brain could think of. He kissed her soundly in the lips.

A/N – Thanks again for taking the time to read this it means a lot. As always please read and review.


	8. Apologies and Surprises

A/n – sorry this ones been so long, but here it is.

Chapter 8 – Apologies and Surprises 

He had meant the kiss to be chased, just enough to stop Ginny's tirade, but at the first touch of her lips he couldn't help but continue. He felt her initial surprise ease away as she allowed herself to ease into the sensations and deepen the kiss. Eventually the primal need for air forced the pair apart, their initial arguments forgotten in the face of this new source of unease. 'Ginny... I don't…I'm so sorr..,' started Harry as he began to apologise for the cause of the heat that was now welling in his face, however he never got past stammering as Ginny once again pressed their lips together.

'Harry Potter. If you ever apologise for that or in any way act as if that was unintentional then I'll hex you into next week,' she said as they broke apart. Harry visibly quailed at her words. Firstly because he knew they were true and secondly because he was unsure what he was supposed to do now. With Cho he had been supposed to ask her into Hogsmeade according to what Hermione had said, but Cho hadn't had several older brothers that would hex anyone within a two meter radius of the 'Baby' sister. One thing was certain, he thought once again felling the blush creep into his cheeks, she was certainly no baby. 'Erm... Ginny. About what just happened? I really don't know how to proceed from here. I mean, don't get me wrong I really like you but with everything that happened last year and this summer I am not sure whether I'm ready. Though in hindsight I doubt I'll ever know if I'm ready. I didn't exactly grow up in the kind of environment that swam in this kind of feeling.' He stopped knowing he was rambling, knowing that if he continued then he would mess up even their friendship. Ginny for her part just stood there patiently waiting for Harry to finish waffling and allow her to speak.

'Look Harry. From what you just said I can see that you hadn't planned to snog my brains out but you did admirably. I know about the Dursleys and I promise I'll take slow. But if you kiss me like that again then I doubt I'll be held responsible for my actions. Stop feeling so nervous and just let thinks happen. Things usually happen for a reason even if we don't realise them.' With that she skipped of upstairs with a large grin plastered on her face. Harry though just stood in the middle of the room with a confused look and that was how Mrs Weasley found him when she returned with the tea. 'Is something wrong dear,' she asked as she set the cups and teapot down on the small table causing Harry to snap out of the reverie he was in. 'Actually I'm not to sure but I don't think I can talk about it.'

'Well if your sure,' she said raising and eyebrow slightly with the thought that she may have recognised the source of his problem as she had bounded up the stairs, 'Well drink this and then you can tell me why you thought it such a great idea to go waltzing of across the countryside.' Harry cringed at her tone before asking if she could round up everyone and alert Dumbledore of his whereabouts.

After Mrs Weasley had placed several floo calls the room soon filled it a multitude of red haired Weasleys and Harry found himself pressed embarrassingly close to Ginny before he started he explanation. 'Firstly I think I owe everyone and apology for my actions a few days ago. They were irresponsible and thoughtless,' he started with his eye down cast, staring at his shuffling shoes.

'That's all very well Harry,' spoke up Dumbledore from where he sat in a dilapidated old wingback chair in the corner, 'However I would like to know where you have been in the past few days.

'Well sir. I started with the idea of flying to Diagon Alley with the thought of getting a room in the leaky cauldron. However I really had no idea where I was so I thought about stopping at a garage to get a map. But as I was coming down towards a sat of lights a saw a sign for Godrics Hollow and knew that's where my parents had lived before Voldemort had attacked,' began Harry pleased to note that all of the teenagers in the room didn't flinch at the name after a year in the DA, 'when I got there I stayed at this pub called The House Elf Head over night before searching out the house. Needless to say there wasn't much there but there was this sign that was actually a portkey to the Potters graveyard…' He went on to explain seeing his parents graveyard and how it had affected him, he was pleasantly surprised to feel Ginny's hand slip inconspicuously into his and give it a gently squeeze as he continued. He told everyone of his night in the summer house and how he had met Merlin and the four founders. He even got a message from Godrics to tell Dumbledore he was doing a cracking job. He explained how he now held all the knowledge he would ever need in his life (causing Hermione to huff). He continued for almost an hour before he finished with receiving Ginny's 'Howler' that morning reminding him of the fact that he owed everyone an explanation. 'I really am sorry for all the trouble I've caused, but I couldn't bare the fact that something might happen to all of you and it would be my fault for being here,' he finished hanging his head in embarrassment. Again he was surprised when he felt two slim arms snake around him and wraps him in a deft hug before the owner of the arms gave him a swift peck on the cheek. He stared at Ginny briefly before giving her a small nod of gratitude.

'Well I am just glad that your home Harry,' responded Mrs Weasley before wrapping him in a deft hug.

'Well actually I wanted to speak to you about that. Almost every summer you have taken me in to your home without question and I would like to repay you. One of my biggest worries is that Voldemort will attack the Burrow because I'm here. So I would like to invite all of you to come to stay at Potter Manor,' Said Harry in a pleading tone, then turning to Dumbledore he said,' Sir it is better protected than Grimmauld place is so I know that well be safe and I have made a couple of two way Portkeys for you and the Order so that you can get there.'

'Thank you Harry. I will see that they are passed on. I believe that Mrs Tonks and Mr Lupin will want to have one,' he added with a slight nod.

'Harry, that's very kind of you but I would hate to impo...' but Mrs Weasley never finished her sentence as Harry cut in saying, 'Nonsense. You are family and as such my home is your home. I have connected the floo only to this building. At least I think I have, the only member on the council that had ever used the Floo were the Flammels and they hated it as much as I did. The other members had all died before it was invented.'

'Well Harry if you're sure then I think I speak for everyone when I say that we'd be honoured.'

The rest of the afternoon was spent in a made rush as everyone hurriedly packed all of the items that they thought they might need until the new term started in September. Dumbledore had asked Harry if it would be possible to start the training he had planned at Potter Manor, and Harry, after a moments hesitation agreed. He had had several long hours training to think about the offer that had caused him to leave the Burrow in the first place and he now felt that with the change in his position that he had the power know to protect his friends if he needed to and so it wouldn't do them much harm to learn to defend themselves in a similar way to the DA.

The only problem Harry faced at the current moment in time was Ginny. In the space of a day she had surprised him twice. First she had had the guts to send him a Howler, then when he had kissed her she had actually kissed him back and it was the kiss that was causing him such a headache as he sat on the couch in the living room listening to the sounds of the Weasleys packing. It had been completely different to the only other kiss he had experienced with Cho. That had been wet and though not entirely unpleasant had not been the most enjoyable experience of his life as he thought a first kiss was supposed to be. The one he had initiated with Ginny however had been entirely different, for lack of a better description it had been as if they were the only two people in the would and that there were fireworks going of all around them. He had often thought of Ginny as attractive but had never dreamed that one day he might actually snog her. He was slightly unsure of where he wanted this to go but some primal instinct told him that he definitely wanted it to go somewhere. The problem was that he had no one to discuss it with no that Sirius was gone.

This thought caused him to stop briefly as he closed his eyes in a futile attempt top stop the tears form flowing, he was so caught up in a memory of the fatefully night in the Ministry that his thoughts had stirred up that he jumped violently when he felt the weight of someone sit on the sofa next him and a pair of slim arms pull him into a hug.

'What's wrong Harry,' asked Ginny when he finally looked up.

'Nothing,' he said in a noncommittal way.

'I don't want to press you on this but I can see something's bothering you and I just wanted to let you know that I am here for you.'

'I'm sorry Ginny. I was thinking about us and how I couldn't ask for advice from anyone now that Siri...' he couldn't finish the sentence as the memory was still to painful.

'Just let it out Harry. No one will; think any less of you, you know. As to asking advice well you can always talk to me even if it's a little weird and what about Professor Lupin, I'm sure he would be glad to help you out. You know he had been felling really down lately, I mean he is now the last of the Marauders after all.'

'You're right as usual Ginny. I can't believe I forgot about Moony like that, he had lost the last of his best friends. But I really need to speak to someone about us before I can make a choice about it, as I said I'm not exactly an expert about this.'

'Harry I have been waiting five years just for you to realise I existed so I think I can wait a bit longer, especially if what you did earlier is anything to go by,' she finished with a sly smile causing him to blush, 'Now I do believe that you have a house to show us.'

With that Harry left for the kitchen and found it packed full of trunks, animal cages and a couple of broomsticks. 'Right all you have to do is say Potter Manor and you'll find your self in the living area of Potter Manor. When you get there go through the door on you left and up the stairs. Choose any room you want except the master one and leave your trunks there. By then dinner should be ready so we can discuss everything at dinner. The dining room is through the other door in the living room. Oh and Hermione, the library is of limits till after dinner,' he added smiling at the look of consternation on her face. Having said his piece he disappeared from sight with a slight _pop_ only to reappear in his living room just as the fireplace flared green.

'How the hell did you get here,' asked a dishevelled Ron as he stepped out of the large brick fireplace that dominated the wall of the living area, then as he noticed the furnishings of the room he had so unceremoniously arrived in he added, 'Cool place Harry.'

'Thanks and as to your first question I just apparated. Don't tell Hermione but you can apparate at Hogwarts if you know how.'

'Serious. Cool that would bug Hermione so much, she's always going on about that damn book. Any way I'm going to dump my trunk,' Ron finished as the fire place once again roared to life, see you in a bit.'

Hermione was the next out of the fireplace and she took and appreciative glance around before lifting her trunk and disappearing after Ron. The rest of the Weasleys soon followed and all disappeared to grab a room before arriving at the large formal dinning room where Harry conjured up a large roast lamb so as to continue to test his new knowledge. He hadn't had much time to practice mush but he found that the use of it had become second nature. Even apparation, which was supposed to be so dangerous you needed a licence to do it, seem easy.

'Well everyone tuck in.'

Several weeks latter and the summer was already well on its way towards an end. Harry had awoken some mornings ago only to have been thrust into his first birthday party. It was late but Harry couldn't have cared less. The experience was totally alien to him and yet it was probably the most enjoyable experience of his life. HE had had cake and ice cream and balloons. But the best part of the whole thing had been the gifts he had received. To Harry they were a symbol of their friendship and he had been touched to have received so much. He had been had been shown the Weasley clock and had seen that he had a hand labelled Harry on it. According to Mr Weasley new hands only appeared when someone thought of the Burrow of home and he had said that the addition of a new hand for Harry had affected the Weasleys more than they would admit.

Harry had also received several books on new books on defensive magic which, as most people had heard about his new found knowledge, only contained spells and information discovered after the death of Nicolas Flammel. Harry had been most pleased with the new books as he knew he needed every piece of help he could get if he was to stand a chance in hell against Voldemort.

Ron had given him what appeared to be the entire stock of Honeydukes. Whilst the twins had sent him a Twin Trickster box from their own store.

It had been Ginny's present that surprised him the most, He had unwrapped the neatly bound package only to spot a leather bound photo album that when opened contained pictures of Sirius, along with several of the Marauders and he had been extremely grateful that she had treated him like a person and not some piece of fragile china.

However the summer was slowly drawing to a close and he still hadn't had a chance to talk to Remus about some advice, but he vowed that he would do so even if he had to owl it to him. So Harry decided that it was probably time to head down for breakfast before Mrs Weasley decided to come and get him. They had spent most of the intermittent weeks training hard form what they all knew was to come. Dumbledore had called Neville and Luna but both of them had declined to join the training program saying that they would do their part but that they didn't what a more prominent part. Personally Harry couldn't blame them. Harry's training was mostly physical, running and weight lifting, along with a lot of work on the Training Dummy's to improve his reflexes and accuracy. The other three were doing a mixture of physical training as well as the studying that the Order and Dumbledore had set for them.

Harry really enjoyed the workouts as it kept his mind off of the darkness that was slowly encroaching on the world and allowed him to think of more pleasant things, like Ginny. The problem of Ginny was really starting to bug him. He was sure what he wanted but he wasn't sure what to do about it, as such he was plesently surprised when he entered the kitchen to find it empty except for the one man that he had needed to see.

'Remus'

A/n – Well I hope you liked it, but I know it wasn't one of my best chapters. I apologise for all the cliffies in my story but they make a great place to end a chapter. Thanks to everyone who posted a review, they really keep me motivated, and thanks to all those who have just read the story and liked it.

The next chapter will have a big fight scene – And Harry getting very red


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